The World's Worst Hogwarts Experience: An Autobiography
by Maisie-Ackerman
Summary: As far as Charlotte was concerned, she was a normal, albeit kinda awkward, 10 (almost 11) year old girl, so you can imagine her surprise when she finds herself at Hogwarts, trying (and maybe failing a few times) to live up to the esteemed Cartwright family name. This is Charlotte's story. The story of Harry Potter as told by a classmate who had been erased from the story long ago.
1. An Owl on the Beach

_**Updated First Chapter!**_

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 _ **Hey! Hey you! Yeah, you there about to skip this overly long author's note! Yeah, I got you man, I skip it most of the time too, so with you guys in mind, I wrote down the basic gist of the note says in this short italicized part here: Don't be a butt, review, and PM me if you need anything, for more info read below, but you're probably going to skip it. You skipper, you.**_

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 **Author's note: Hi I'm Piper-Audrey, Author of this fanfiction. Just a disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters except my own like Charlotte and Alfie and so on and so forth (I'll probably put out a list of all the characters that are my own original characters at some point). Anyway if you like this please, please, please, review even if it's just to say to update soon or whatever, it's just that reviews let me know you guys enjoyed the story and encourage me to write, so review. Also I didn't think I had to say this but apparently I do: I don't mind criticism as long as it's _helpful_.** **I literally cannot put enough emphasis on that. I don't care if you don't like the story, if you just want to complain about it, I really don't want to hear it, but If you actually have some constructive feedback to give me that will help me with my writing I would love to hear it. Feel free to tell me if my spelling is off, or my grammar, or if there are plot-holes or details of the story that I missed! That's completely fine, as long as you're respectful towards me, I'll be respectful towards you! That way we can all get along and be friends, which is great because I'm really excited to get to know you all!**

 **Speaking of reviews, if you have any questions please PM me! (I always respond first thing.) Asking questions in reviews is fine too, but just make sure you have read up to the latest update before asking because I might have already answered it in the story later on. That way I'm not answering the same question twenty times instead of writing, and I don't give away what could be a cool surprise in a later chapter, and you just don't realize it yet! Also sometimes I'll get questions from people who don't have an open inbox or are just guest on , If that's the case then just go ahead and check the latest updates to see if I gave you a shout out and answer questions in authors note, at the beginning or the end of chapter.**

 **On the subject of private messaging, I just want to let you all know that I'm pretty Approachable, so feel free to PM me. Anything you want from me (even if you think its dumb) just shoot me a PM and I'll give you a lengthy reply as to what it is you're messaging me about. And really, PM me with anything, suggestions on what should happen in my fanfiction, headcannons you'd like me to incorporate into the story, some theory about this AU, or some theories you have about Charlotte that you'd like me to hear, who knows I might use them (and of course I'll give you credit in the story.) Whatever you want Just PM me and I'll get back to you. The more feedback I get from my fan, the better. I promise I don't bite!**

 **And with that please enjoy the story.**

 **With Love, Piper-Audrey**

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 **The AU: Alternate Universe where JK Rowling is actually a pen name for Harry Potter, who wrote the book as an autobiography for the wizarding world, however he ended up having to change things because certain people needed to go into hiding and couldn't be mentioned, and this is the story of what "Really Happened." Obviously this is an AU and JK Rowling really did write the Harry Potter Series, but I thought this would be fun. No insult to JK Rowling or anything like that, if that's how people take it that wasn't my intent. Anyway, that's the AU for anyone who was confused.  
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 **CHAPTER ONE: AN OWL ON THE BEACH**

My name is Charlotte.

Have you ever noticed that books so rarely start with names? Like, the author will sometimes wait a whole page before telling you the main characters name. Sometimes even a full chapter. Sometimes they'll skip telling you the main characters name and start by telling you all about someone else, like, I don't know, the main character's aunt and uncle and cousin, who are all annoying jerks, who no one really cares about and/or likes.

It's a shame, to see so many books that don't start with names, seeing as how we so often we depend on names. I'd like to see someone write an entire book without ever once mentioning a name. I imagine they'd find the task quite difficult. Why authors put it off like it's some kind of big reveal is beyond me. Chances are the reader has already read the name on the back of the book, so it's not like it's some grand surprise.

But that's besides the point. The point is my name is Charlotte Cartwright and I'm here to tell you a story, as is the case with all who write books. But this isn't just any story. This story is a special story. One full of magic and adventure.

There's a story out there, that you might of heard by the name of: Harry Potter. It's quite a fun story, and many people have grown to love it. I imagine your reading this today because you love it too. I might enjoy it myself if I didn't know how far from the truth it actually is. You might have your eyebrow raised at that comment but I assure you, bare with me and you'll see what I mean.

Now, before I go any further, I know what your going to say. You're going to get mad at me for insulting your precious brilliant JK Rowling, right? Tell me that there's no way she got it wrong because it's her story. Well, that's the thing now isn't it. What if I told you it wasn't her story? What if I told you it was _history_.

I know many of you won't believe, but this is the truth. Your story, your precious Harry Potter fantasy series, actually happened. All of it. And the author you all know as JK Rowling. That's a pen name. As hard as it is to believe there is no JK Rowling, which is a shame because she seems like a really cool person. The person who really wrote the Harry Potter books, as impossible as it may seem, was Harry himself.

The thing is, there are two ways of looking at these books. When the books were published, they were set in two different genres. First, as a fantasy series for muggle entertainment. Second, as the autobiography of the choose one, the savior of the wizarding world, Harry Potter.

After the war, Harry sat down with his two best friends, his significant other, a few other close companions, and, well, me, to try and create an accurate account of what happened during the war. Now, if that was the goal, you might be wondering why I said it was far from the truth. Well, the thing is, I happened. Things... well, things happened in the war, and I needed to go away. The world needed to forget I existed, and well, if the chosen one said I didn't exist, I didn't as far as the world was concerned.

And I was grateful for that, I was glad I was never mentioned in the Harry Potter story. It gave me time to recollect the pieces of my shattered life. Unfortunately, no one could deny I played a role, and so things were changed, pieces mashed together, and crammed in until the story could finally be told in a way in which I didn't exist. Other people took on the roles I played. Other parts were just cropped out altogether. So on and so forth. Maybe that's why the Slytherins always seemed like the bad guys, or why it seemed like there were never any major Hufflepuff characters. It's because I had to erase myself from the narrative.

Now, I suppose the real question is: Why? Why were things like this? Why did I need to erase myself from the narrative? Well, I suppose that's why I'm writing this.

At the time, it was better if the world forgot who I was, but now? Now, I believe it's time you know the whole truth. I think it's time you hear about the Muggleborn Thief. It's time you heard about the girl responsible for inventing some of the worlds most dangerous and powerful potions. It's time you heard of the girl who was once called "The Dark Princess." And it's time you heard all about the dark secrets and hidden affairs that lurked around every corner of the Hogwarts corridors.

It's time you heard my story.

It all started the year I got my letter to Hogwarts. I was ten years old and vacationing with my parents at the time. It was late summer and I was only beginning to think about the upcoming school year. I didn't expect anything unusual to happen.

So of course it did. You can imagine my parents shock.

Only they aren't really my parents...

As you can clearly tell, Gina and Stanley Waters don't share my last name. The thing is, my parents, my biological ones, either died when I was little or didn't want me, or something like that. I didn't really know... What I did know was that I had in and out of foster homes until I was five. By that time I'd heard so many conflicting stories about my parents and what happened to them, or what might have happened, to them that I didn't know what to believe.

By the time Gina and Stanley adopted me the only thing I had left of my birth parents was their surname. That's why when I was being adopted and I was told my name would be changed from Charlotte Cartwright to Charlotte Waters, I burst out crying. Honestly I don't remember any of this, but my parents tell me that I sobbed for nearly an hour after begging them to let me keep my last name, so at least I had that much to remember my biological parents by. I was lucky enough to have such cool adoptive parents though, because even though it was only a silly request from a five year old, they let me keep it. I consider myself lucky to have been raised by the Waters. In my opinion they are more than worthy of the title "parents."

They're also my only friends... Which is pretty sad but it's true. You see, I don't exactly fit in with the other kids in my school. It's always been like that. I'd been bullied, picked on, joked about and laughed at, at every school I'd ever gone to in my life. I would have liked a friends or two, it sounded nice to me. Someone, Anyone, willing to accept me for who I was. However, My expectations weren't high.

You see, the thing is, people like to say I'm cursed. Sometimes I think they're right. Mostly the rumors got started when the boys in my first grade class found out I was born on October 31st, Halloween day. They used to say that meant I was bad luck and that I was a witch or something.

Crazy, right?

Well, it only got worse after that because I didn't help my case any by, well, being me. You see, the thing is, weird stuff happens around me. When I get bullied, bad things happen to those kids. Like one time, this kid, Brandon, ended up hanging upside down from the jungle gym at recess after I screamed at him to stop pulling my hair and another time a boy named Tyrell found himself with a lunch tray in his face after calling my fat. And one other time Alice Thomson launched a big red ball dodge-ball right at my face as hard as she could and ended up leaving the gym with a bloody nose.

I never did any of these things, physically, in fact they seemed to happen on their own, as if by magic, but everyone always said it was my fault because I was cursed. Maybe they were right. But curse or no curse, I had been pretty much friendless for most of my life.

Sometimes I heard people talking about it, my parents and teachers mostly. It wasn't uncommon for me to catch a whisper or two of what the adults were saying about me...

"Charlotte doesn't show any interest in her peers," I heard my teacher tell my parents one time, "She's so closed off. I'm sure she could make friends if she tried..."

That comment always made me so mad. _If I tried._ As though I wasn't trying. The problem wasn't me. The problem was just about everything else. It was as if the world wanted people to hate me. The odds were so stacked against me, I doubt making friends was ever even a possibility for me, and I seriously doubt that it ever would have been if not for that a fateful night in august.

I suppose a lot of things would have been different if not for that night.

My family lives in Boston Massachusetts, and every summer we made our way out to cape cod to spend our vacation on the beach. We rented the same dusty old cabin every year from my dad's strange friend Robert Beckerwick, who liked to give me all sorts of weird candies I've never heard of before, and tell me crazy stories about magic and stuff like that. Every year I'd spend the entire summer getting sunburn after sunburn in an attempt to get a tan like I saw the older girls doing. This year, when the three of us piled into the van to head down to the cape I didn't expect anything to be different.

It was our first night on the beach when I realized that this summer -and this year- would be nothing like the others.

My first day on the beach was a sunny one. My parents had gone off to see about lunch and I was left behind to play on the beach. I stood with my toes in the sand, looking rather nice, I thought, in my blue and green one piece bathing suit.

I sat down and started "tanning" on the beach when I saw it. An owl. Just sitting there among the seagulls like it was the most natural thing in the world. It stared at me, readjusted its feathers with it's beak, and stared at me some more.

I stared back.

Finally, after a moment of staring at each other, I began to feel awkward and cleared my throat, "Hello..?" I said to the owl, for no real reason in particular.

The owl make a soft chortling noise and flew off.

 _Great_ I thought, bitterly, _not even the owl wants to be my friend._

I went back to tanning.

It wasn't until that night that things started to get really weird, However. I was sitting at the table with my parents. My mom had tied her dark curly hair into a ponytail and walked around the cabin in a yellow sundress. Meanwhile my dad sported the ugliest Hawaiian shirt he could find and a pair of cargo shorts.

"I swear this cabin gets smaller and smaller each year," my mom said waving her hand, "either that or we keep getting bigger."

My dad shot me a sideways glance, "well one of us is."

"Hey I'm not the only one dad," I smirked, "you're not exactly tiny yourself"

He laughed and my mom gave me a grin shaking her head. "Charlotte, honey be nice, your father might not be tiny but you're nearly as tall as him now. You keep growing more and more each day, I can't believe you're already heading into the 6th grade..."

"Yeah, I'm so excited," I said sarcastically, "Another whole year of elementary school, yelling at teachers, being called weird, it's gonna be the bomb."

My dad ruffled my wispy blonde curls, "Ah, cheer up kiddo, forget about school, just enjoy your vacation for now."

"Your father's right," My mom smiled at me, "how was your day at the beach. Your looking a little red"

I looked down to see she was right, I was already getting the beginnings of a sunburn, one which I already knew wouldn't turn into a tan and leave me as pale as I was at the beginning of the summer. "It was fine, weird but fine."

"Weird?" My father raised an eyebrow at me.

"There was an owl there, dad," I said leaning back in my chair, "There was an owl just sitting there in the middle of the beach. It was so weird."

My dad shrugged, "Strange, owls only really come out at night, wonder what he was doing."

"Maybe he was on vacation as well," my mom chuckled. My dad shrugged and let out a small laugh as well. Still I sat there wondering about that owl. When it was sitting there staring at me... It was a strange thought but I couldn't help thinking that owl was waiting for me. Like it was there for me.

I shook my head. That was silly.

But you know what isn't silly? Having your beach side cabin broken into in the middle of the night. Which is exactly why my heart nearly jumped out of my chest at three o'clock in the morning that night.

Can you tell this is going to be an interesting story yet?


	2. The Boy in the Fireplace

CHAPTER TWO: THE BOY IN THE FIREPLACE

I was sleeping on the couch in the cabin's living room with a blanket wrapped tightly around me. The cabin only had one bedroom and I used to share it with my parents, but now that I was ten I figured I was too old for that and decided to crash on the couch. Everything was quiet except for the sound of my own snoring. I was dreaming.

In my dream, I was soaring through the sky so fast the ground below me blurred. I was on a broomstick. Strange... broomsticks didn't fly... Although I sure wished they would, it was quite fun.

The owl I saw on the beach early flew beside me, hooting happily. I felt the rush of wind in my hair. I had never felt so free in my life. Then, in the blink of an eye my owl friend was shot out of the sky. I searched for the source of the shot but I saw nothing below me. Then all of a sudden I saw was a flash of green light, and suddenly I was falling... I'd never felt such complete and utter hopelessness before in my life...

I woke up to the sound of a roaring fire. Green light blazed in the fireplace. Half asleep, I fluttered my eyes open and looked over, only to see the fire had gone out. Had I dreamt it? Probably.

Then came the sound of glass being shattered.

 _Nope,_ My eyes flew open, now fully awake, _Definitely didn't dream that._

I sat up so fast I nearly fell off the couch. My eyes scanned the dark room. My heart was thumping so loudly in my chest I figured all of Cape Cod could hear it. But apparently not because no one came to my aid, not even my parents who must not have heard the glass shattering.

My eyes searched for the source of the noise and landed on the coffee table in front of me. It's glass top had been completely shattered.

I narrowed my eyes. What had happened?

I thought of calling my parents into the room to have them check it out, mainly because I still had this strange uncomfortable feeling stirring inside my chest. Like I was being watched. I reached over to switch on the lamp next to me but before my hand even clicked the light on a hand shot out from behind me and grabbed my wrist. I would have screamed but another hand shot out quickly and clasped my mouth shut.

My muffled screams could be heard through the intruders hands but my parents remained asleep in the other room. I struggled to break free, but my muscles stopped moving when I heard a voice in my ear.

"Charlotte Cartwright, It's alright I'm not here to hurt you" It said, "I have something of yours I wish to give you. I'd like to release you now but you have to promise not to scream."

The voice caught me off guard. It was a boy's voice, clearly not much older than me and he sounded genuine about not wanting to hurt me. How a ten year old boy had broken into my cabin was beyond me and I couldn't even begin to fathom why.

"Do you promise not to scream?" The boy asked again.

I shook my head yes. Slowly and carefully the boy let go of my arm and mouth moving away from me. I turned to face him.

He was about my height, if not a bit shorter, with long shaggy brown hair which was mostly hidden under a large blue hat that lay lopsided on his head. He had dark eyes which I couldn't see well in the dark but they sparkled with mischief. His pale lips were curled up into a smile like this was some kind of joke to him and his hands were in the air like he was surrendering.

So, Naturally I punched him in the face.

"OW!" The boy complained, holding his nose in his cupped hand, "What was that for!?"

"That was for breaking into my Cabin, you freak!" I shouted back, "Now who are you and how do you know my name!?"

"Shhhhhh!" Hissed the boys, "Geez, you promised not to scream! My name is Alfie Blackbourne, I came to deliver a letter, for Merlin's sake!"

Alfie dug around inside his jean pockets, emptying out about fifty different candy wrappers in the process before holding up a small white envelope in his long pale fingers and handing it over to me. I snatched the letter away from the boy and read it carefully as Alfie tended to his nose.

"Bloody hell," He whined, "I think I'm bleeding."

I was too focused on the letter to pay any attention to the boy though, because this letter was unlike any I'd ever gotten. It was hard to see in the dark but I could make out the address on the front of the envelope just fine.

 _Ms. C. Cartwright_

 _The Couch in the Living room_

 _680 Ocean St_

 _Cape Cod_

 _Massachusetts_

"What is this?" I asked Alfie, giving him a pointed look. He must be trying to mess with me, who would be writing to me?

"It's your letter," He repeated, "to Hogwarts. Your acceptance letter."

"My letter to...where?" I raised an eyebrow. did he just say Hogwarts? As in warts the grow on pigs, or something like that? That made no sense. None of this made any sense.

"To Hogwarts of course!" Alfie exclaimed, "It's only the best, most fantastic, school in the world, and you got accepted. Just like me, now open it."

I Opened the letter, using my thumbnail to pry the flap open. I reached inside and pulled out the piece of parchment, unfolding it neatly. I reach over to turn on the lamp, shooting Alfie a glare to make sure he didn't grab my arm again. I clicked on the light and read the letter.

 _HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

 _Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE_

 _(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

 _Dear Ms. Cartwright, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall,_

 _Deputy Headmistress_

"Witchcraft and Wizardry?" I looked at the kid, not amused. Now I knew he was messing with me. "You think this is funny?"

"No!" Alfie shouted looking offended, "It's true! You're a witch Charlotte, Just like me! Well... not just like me. Technically, I'm a Wizard."

"That's stupid," I protested, "You must think I'm a real idiot. Magic isn't real."

"It is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!" Alfie said, red-faced, "And I can prove it!"

"Oh yea?" I asked, standing up and placing my hands on his hips, "Prove it then!"

Alfie grinned, "Okay then!"

I stood back as Alfie pulled a long white wand from his belt and held it up to the light of the lamp and smiled wickedly. I waited patiently as he looked around the room and suddenly pointed to a pen on the desk with his wand.

"Watch and learn" He grinned, " _Wingardium leviosa._ "

I nearly screamed when the pen rose off the desk and floated in the air. I reached over cautiously and waved my hands above and below the pen, checking for wires. There were none.

"How are you doing that?" I asked, amazed.

"I told you!" Alfie said, "It's Magic!"

But before he could say anything else, there was a sudden bang and the pen exploded midair, leaving nothing left but a cloud of ash, which floated to the ground. I jumped and screamed a little at the sudden boom.

"Charlotte?" I heard my mom's sleepy voice from the other room, "Charlotte, honey, what was that? Are you alright?"

"Oh no," I whispered, "Er, sorry mom! I tripped getting water, I'm fine!"

I waited for my mom to enter the room and find me and Alfie red handed, but there was simply a long silence and I sighed in relief. That could have been bad. I shot Alfie a death glare.

"Why'd you do that!?" I hissed.

"I didn't it wasn't my fault!" Alfie hissed back, "I can only do a little magic! I haven't been trained yet and this isn't my wand. I'm actually pretty amazed I got the pen to levitate at all...!"

There was a long silence.

"So" I finally said, "I'm really a witch?"

"Of course you are," Alfie nodded, "And I'm willing to guess your a pretty powerful one, with who your sister is and all that."

"Sister?" My eyes widened, "I don't have a sister, do I?"

"Well," Alfie said, pulling out a small newspaper clipping from his shirt pocket, "This is you isn't it?"

I took the newspaper clipping gently in my hand. There, in the right hand corner of the page, was my school picture, with my hair pulled back into a ponytail and my school uniform put on a bit lopsided. I looked awful, so I was completely mortified that this was in a newspaper somewhere. I read the article.

 _You all know the world renowned witch, Bethany Cartwright. You all know her for her research in potions, her creation of the Rosalian Potion (which allows the drinker to see through the eyes and ears of another person) and the small workshops she runs where she teaches young witches and wizards the basics of magic. You all know her name, but do you know this amazing young lady's story?_

 _The daily prophet thinks not, because we're here to share with you some interesting news. Early this past monday, Bethany received this strange picture (right) in the mail from an anonymous source. The young lady in this photo is none other than Charlotte Cartwright, Bethany's ten year old sister, who the famous witch had previously assumed was dead. Bethany is looking for her sister and urges-_

That's where the Article cut off. My eyes widened, stunned. I was a witch. I had a sister. Not just any sister, but a famous sister, who invented potions and taught young wizards! My head was swimming. I shoved the article towards Alfie.

"Take me to her!" I ordered, "She's looking for me. I have to find her."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Alfie grinned taking my wrist and leading me over to the fireplace and shoving a small leather pouch into my hands, "Listen carefully, this is called Floo Powder. It will transport you anywhere you wanna go. All you have to do is say where you wanna go, loud and clear and throw the powder."

"Wait!" I blinked, "We're going now? What about my parents?"

"We'll be back!" Alfie insisted, "What's more important to you? Your parents knowing where you are or finally getting to see your world. Come on, Charlotte, live a little."

I bite my lip, trying to make up my mind.

"Charlotte are you okay in there?" I heard my mom call, "I heard voices."

I turned to Alfie, "Okay, I'll go with you."

"Okay watch carefully," Alfie took a handful of Floo Powder and stood in the fireplace before saying loudly, "Diagon Alley!" and throwing the powder at his feet. In a flash of green light Alfie was gone.

"Charlotte darling?" I heard my mom call louder, Closer to the door. Quickly I stepped into the fireplace and took a handful of Floo Powder in my hand.

I swallowed hard raising my hand, my eyes locked on the door which now jiggled as my mom started to open the door. I closed my eyes.

"Diagon Alley!" I shouted and throw the powder, and I was engulfed in green flames.


	3. 12 In Tigerwood, Dragon's Heartstring

CHAPTER THREE: TWELVE INCHES, TIGERWOOD, DRAGON'S HEART STRING

Alfie brought me to Gringotts first things when we got to Diagon Alley.

The stores were just beginning to open for the day and I stared at everything, awestruck. The stores were amazing and everyone I looked at not only had an air of magic around them, but they looked magical in their cloaks and witch hats.

"But if Gringotts is a bank," I said slowly, "Why do we need to go there? I don't have an account with them and I only get a ten dollar allowance every week."

"You have more than that," Alfie insisted, "Half of the reason Bethany Cartwright can do all the research she does is because of the inheritance she got from your parents, but she only got half because the other half was set aside for you."

"Okay, but how are we supposed to get in," I asked, trying to remember how my parents did it, "Don't you need a number of something?"

"That's not how it works here," Alfie said, "All you need is a key."

"A key?"

"Yeah a key, a special key," Alfie smiled, "A special key just like the one that just so happens to be around your neck."

My hand shot up to the necklace that hung around my neck, "This? This is just something I had since I was a kid. It was my parent's."

"That's a key to a Gringotts vault"

"This can't be a Key to a Gringotts vault," I said shaking it in his face, "I used to teethe on this."

"Okay...?" Alfie said moving the key out of his face, "Well if you don't believe me, we can go to Gringotts to prove it. Unless you don't want your money."

"Why do we need money anyway?" I knit my eyebrows.

"Charlotte," Alfie said slowly, "You are at Diagon Alley, the only place where you are going to get everything on your school supplies list. Now, you can either go meet your sister in your robe or in your robes."

He gestured to my clothes. I suddenly turned red realizing I was still in my blue plaid pajama pants and white tee shirt. Needless to say I agreed to go with Alfie to Gringotts.

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"WHY DID I LET YOU TALK ME INTO THIS!?" I screamed, clinging to the edge of the cart for dear life as we hurdled over a giant abyss.

Alfie laughed, "What are you talking about? This is great! Imagine it's a roller coaster!"

"I HATE ROLLER COASTERS!" I screamed back.

We finally came to a stop outside my vault, vault 715, and the goblin pushed the key into the slot and pushed open the door. I nearly fainted when I saw what was inside.

Gold. Piles of it, more than I could spend in a lifetime. Jewelry and chests clothes and robes and paintings littered the room. Gold, silver and copper coins were everywhere. It was more money than I'd ever seen in my entire life. And it was all mine...

Alfie walked over and patted my shoulder, "Well rich girl. Better get going."

I grabbed a bag that I found in the back of the vault and filled the bag with enough money for my school supplies and anything else I wanted to get, and I grabbed a couple of beautiful robes and quickly used the vault as a changing room.

I emerged again wearing a black turtleneck dress that came down to my knees and a dark green cloak with silver clasps and finally a green ribbon tying my hair back and a pointed witch's hat atop my head.

"See," Alfie said, "Now you're starting to look like a witch! Now let's get back to Diagon Alley and get our school supplies."

"Cool...can we walk back this time?" I groaned.

"Charlotte, we went over an abyss, how do you suppose we walk back?" Alfie raised an eyebrow at me. I groaned stepping out of the vault.

I nearly jumped out of my skin as another cart came to a sharp stop behind our own with a screech. I looked over as a goblin climbed out of the cart followed by a man nearly three times my size and a boy my age. The boy caught my attention right away because he was staring at me. He had wild black hair and bright green eyes. I felt like I recognized him somewhere but I had no idea where...

The boy swept his black hair out of his eyes and my eye caught a glimpse of a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead. Again I had the weirdest case of deja vu. I'd seen that scar before... I'd seen that kid before.

Suddenly Alfie hit me in the stomach.

"Bloody hell, Charlotte," he gasped, "Do you know who that is?"

"Alfie, how would I possible know who that is?"

"That's Harry, frickin', Potter," Alfie said, staring at the boy who'd suddenly become very focused on the door to his vault, slipping me one last look before slipping inside.

"Come on Alf, we better get going" I said, climbing into the cart and straightening my dress.

"But, come on!" Alfie said climbing in after me, "When are we ever going to get the chance to meet Harry Potter again? How can you not know who that is?"

"I'm sorry?" I said, half apology, half question

Alfie opened his mouth to explain to me who Harry Potter was, but the cart pulled away ripping his words out of his mouth.

* * *

Walking through Diagon Alley with Alfie was probably the best time I'd ever had in my life. Alfie brought me around to all the stores to get my supplies, which we carried around in brown paper packages, tied with string. We'd already gotten all my text books, potions supplies, my cauldron, scales, crystal ball etc. ect. I was now wearing my new pair of Dragon's hide work gloves, which were called work gloves but, personally, I thought looked very stylish. I gripped my pointed witches hat to keep it from flying off my head. I saw other kids, my age or older, walk around carrying school supplies as well, which made my heart thump in excitement.

Alfie and I ate ice creams cones on our way to Ollivander's to get my wand, which I was definitely the most excited about. People kept pointing and staring at me and I started to realize: My sister wasn't the only witch who was famous. I was too.

I nearly collided with a tall man carrying a cane when Alfie pulled me out of the way. He grabbed a couple of packages out of my hands and carried them under his arm so I could better see where I was going, "Keep close, I don't want you to get lost."

"Thanks," I smiled, taking a bite of my ice cream cone.

"No problem," Alfie smiled, "Just doing my duty as a good Samaritan and helping a poor ignorant soul."

"Ha-frickin'-ha Blackbourne, You're a comedian." I rolled my eyes, "It's not my fault, I've never been to a place like this, it's so crowded. They don't have this kinda thing in america. Unless you count the mall, which you only really go to with your friends, so I never went... Do they have many places like this one in London?

"Not many, I mean, maybe muggle ones, but Diagon Alley is the only magical one I know of,"

I can't believe I didn't know about all this..." I said, mystified, "I can't believe no one ever told me I was a witch."

There was a small moment of silence.

"I know what it's like, you know," Alfie finally said, "Not to know. I was raised by muggles too. My parents are muggles, both of them. I'm what you'd call a Muggleborn."

"A Muggleborn?" I raised my eyebrow.

"Yeah, it just means someone who has non-magical parents," Alfie shrugged, "You see, there are people out there who have all sorts of different family lines in the wizarding world. Some people, like me, are the first wizards ever in their family. Then there are kids who have a muggle parent and a magical parent, their called half-bloods. Then there are people like you."

"People like me?" I asked curiously.

"Pure-Bloods" Alfie explained, "It means that your whole family is made up of other Pure-Blooded witches and wizards like you. Not an ounce of Muggle in you."

"You mean my whole family is magical?" I asked, eyes wide.

"That's part of why your sister's so famous," Alfie explained, "Pure-Bloods tend to be...er, high class? Well, usually I'd use the term high maintenance, but you don't seem like the other Pure-Bloods I've met."

I smiled, "Well, thanks. I haven't met any other muggleborn wizards, but I think you're a pretty cool muggleborn."

Alfie laughed, "Thanks."

Suddenly a group of boys came racing past us, knocking Alfie to the curb, rushing to press their face up against the glass of the Quidditch shop to get a look at a broomstick in the window. They murmured in hushed voices. "It's the Nimbus 2000, the fastest model..."

I helped Alfie up, muttering, "Brats, don't watch where they're going..."

"Eh, don't mind them, I'm used to it. When you're a kid like me, you don't exactly have friends" Alfie waved his hand. I didn't know what he meant by 'a kid like him' but I figured it was best I didn't ask. I gave him a small smile, remembering my own longing for friendship. How I never exactly fit in anywhere, getting picked on and scorned by everyone I talked to. How peculiar they thought I was...

"Ya know," I said, "That's another thing we have in common."

"What?" He asked.

"I don't have friends, either..." I said with a half-hearted smile, "Everyone I know thinks I'm a freak. I get bullied quite a bit at home..."

"What a coincidence." Alfie smiled, "I get bullied quite a bit here. Small world, huh?"

I giggled.

"I'll make you a deal, Cartwright," Alfie said, shooting me a smile, "I'll be your first friend, if your mine."

I laughed happily, my heart jumpy with joy. I'd never had a friend before. It was a wonderful feeling, something I'd never felt before. I wasn't afraid Alfie would pick on me, or Judge me. Me and him, we were the same. Both wizards, both scorned by the people around us. Finally, we both had someone we could depend on. Or, at least, I hoped he felt the same.

"Okay" I said, trying to contain my joy, "I'll be your friend..."

Getting distracted I turned my head back towards the boys huddled around the store window, staring at the broom. I stared at it as well, thinking back to the dream I'd had last night with the owl and the broom. That felt amazing...

"Alfie, do brooms really fly?" I asked, curiously.

"Yea, they do," Alfie said, looking at me as if to say _duh_ , "Mostly they're used in this game, it's called Quidditch. You'll see when we get to hogwarts, It's kind of a big deal there."

"I want one."

"Huh?"

"A broom," I repeated, "I want one."

"First year students aren't permitted to have their own brooms, everyone knows that." Alfie shrugged, "You can get one next year."

"No you don't understand" I said, for some reason, I didn't know why but there was something about seeing the broom reminded me of my dream. I needed to know if flying a broom felt as amazing in real life as it did in my dream, "I need a broom."

"Geez woman," Alfie huffed, "I take back what I said, you are high maintenance."

I grabbed my thickest textbook and smacked Alfie in the arm who laughed and ran away. I laughed, forgetting about the broom to chase him with my book in hand.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Alfie shouted over the crowd, "I present to you the wizarding world's number one most demanding witch, Charlotte Cartwright!"

"Alfie Blackbourne, stop making a scene and get back here so I can smack you!" I laughed, "I swear you're gonna get it."

"Oh yeah!" Alfie laughed looking back at me, "Well come over here and give it to me then"

* * *

We finally came to a stop outside Ollivander's.

We entered the shop quietly and looked around at the stacks and stacks of wands along the store walls, piled so high that they touched the ceiling. I stared around the tiny little shop, but no one was to be found.

"Maybe he stepped out for a bit?" I offered.

"Maybe..." Alfie said. Just then a hand shot out and grabbed Alfie's wand from his belt, Alfie shouted in distress, "Hey!"

"Yew, nine inches, unicorn's mane..." Said the man who'd snatched Alfie's wand, "Small, firm, very powerful, but not quite you Mr. Blackbourne. You know what they say, don't you? The wand chooses the wizard, not vise versa."

Alfie looked like he wanted to argue but didn't. Ollivander stared at him a moment before turning his silvery pale eyes towards me. I blinked in suprise as his lips curled into a smile.

"Ah yes," Ollivander said, turning to return Alfie's wand to it's box on the shelf, "I've read about you, Ms. Cartwright. I wondered if Hogwarts would be sending you a letter this year. I sold your sister her first wand as well you know. Oak, ten inches, Phoenix feather."

"Oh um..." I blinked, unsure how to respond.

"Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Ms. Cartwright," Ollivander explained, searching the shelves, "We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

He gave Alfie a pointed look.

Finally Ollivander walked over with a box in his hand, Opening it and offering a dark wooden wand to me, "Thirteen inches, Maple, Unicorn's mane."

I took it and waved it a bit, furrowing my brow when nothing happened, "Sir, I think it's broken, nothing's happening..."

Ollivander snatched the wand away from me, "No dear, it's not broken, it just hasn't found the right wizard yet. try this."

He handed me another wand, "Ten inches, pine, Phoenix feather."

Again nothing.

Ollivander gave a long pause, looking me over as if I was a puzzle that needed solving. He hummed, "I wonder..."

He turned and looked around the bottom shelve. He finally found an old, beat-up box from the bottom shelf. He pulled it out and set it on the table.

"Now, Ms. Cartwright," Ollivander said, "I have a talent for remembering every wand I've ever sold. Even the first wand I'd ever sold, but that wasn't the first wand I ever made. This wand here, Twelve inches, Tigerwood, Dragon's Heartstring, is the first wand I ever made. Of course back then this was a much smaller operation. In any case, this here is very particular wand. You see, it's never chosen a wizard worthy of wielding it. But perhaps you would like to try?"

Ollivander handed me a wand made of caramel colored wood, with chocolate colored streaks stretching down from it's tip. Gingerly, I took the wand in my hand.

At first nothing happened, but as soon as I moved my hand, purple and gold sparks flew from the tip of my wand. I broke out into a grin.

So it was true... I really was a witch.

"Very nice," Ollivander smiled, looking at me with his strange pale eyes, "A very, very powerful wand that one. Remember this, Ms. Cartwright, it's very hard to win that wand's favor, but once you do, it's fiercely loyal. Work hard, prove yourself as a powerful witch and that wand will do the same to prove itself to you as a powerful tool. Together I predict you will do great things."

I nodded, "Thank you sir..."

He smiled, "Oh don't thank me, Miss, thank the wand."

I payed Seven Galleons for the wand and left, gripping the wand tightly in my hand stroking it up and down.

"Powerful wand..." Alfie said, "Good job in there."

"Thanks," I smiled, "I guess my wand thinks I'm gonna be a great Witch. Sure hope it's right..."

"Hey" Alfie said, grinning and placing a hand on my shoulder, "Your wand isn't the only one who thinks you'll be an amazing witch. Just wait and see, you will be."

I broke out into a huge grin and hugged Alfie. "Thanks, you sap."

"Yea whatever..." He laughed, "Now let's go to Madam Malkin's to get your robes. Then I'll take you to go see your sister."

I beamed, tucking my wand into my cloak pocket and skipping to keep up with my friend.


	4. A New Friend and A New Foe

CHAPTER FOUR: A NEW FRIEND & A NEW FOE

After leaving Ollivander's, Alfie and I wandered into the candy shop and came out eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, trying to guess what each one was before we ate it and daring each other to try the suspiciously colored ones. When they were gone, I walked behind Alfie and took a look at my school supplies list, checking to see what else we needed, "It says here I can bring a pet. An owl, a cat, or a toad. Are you bringing a pet Alfie?"

"I don't know yet, Charlotte," Alfie shrugged, "We'll have to see how things play out. Why what would you want if you got a pet?"

I thought about it for a moment. I'd always wanted a pet, but they didn't allow pets in any of my foster homes and mom was allergic though so I never got a chance. I thought about the owl I saw back on the beach in Cape Cod, "An owl. I'd like an owl."

"Yeah," Alfie sighed, "I suppose everyone wants owls this year."

"I saw one in Cape Cod yesterday," I explained, "I wonder what it was doing there..."

"A big owl?" Alfie asked.

"Yeah."

"Brown with white speckles?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?" I asked amazed.

"That was the owl delivering your letter," Alfie explained, "I imagine the petrification spell I put on it will be wearing off right about now..."

"ALFIE!?" I stared at him in shocked, "What is wrong with you!? why on earth would you do that!?"

"To get your letter, of course!" Alfie said as if this were the most perfectly normal, "Well, I needed some kinda reason to talk to you, didn't I?"

I opened my mouth to argue but stopped myself, not really sure how to respond. Alfie was kinda strange and I figured that was just something I'd have to get used to. I shrugged and turned back to the list.

"Hey," I said, "I have a question. You've been taking me around to all these shops getting school supplies, but I haven't seen you buy anything. Why? Did you already buy your school supplies"

Alfie shrugged, "I don't have the money to buy supplies. Not yet anyway. I will soon, if everything goes as it should. Then I'll be able to get the best textbooks and the right supplies. You'll see, Cartwright, when we get to hogwarts, I'm gonna be at the top of the class. I plan to graduate with the highest grades in the school."

"Really?" I asked, wide eyed, "That sounds like a lot to me. I just want to go somewhere where there are other people like me..."

"But what's the point of going to a magic if you can't prove yourself?" Alfie argued, "Magic is all about the mind. I wanna learn every spell there is to learn. It's why I do everything I do."

"Oh..." I thought about this for a moment, "I guess that sorta makes sense..."

"Of course it does," Alfie said, proud of himself for being right.

"Anyway, we're going to get my robes now, right?" I said peering at the list, "Then an owl and I think we'll be all done. And finally you'll take me to my sister."

"Of course," Alfie smiled, "That's the most important part!"

"Yeah..." I sighed, "Thanks, by the way, for doing all this so I can meet Bethany. I know you didn't have to."

"It's my pleasure," Alfie said, "You have no idea."

"Huh," I raised an eyebrow.

Alfie shook his head and gave me a small chuckle, "Nothing. Now come on, Madam Malkin's is right up here."

I stood on my tip toes to see over Alfie's head, to get a look at the shop. Before I could see anything, however, my ankle twisted at an odd angle and I lost balance. I used Alfie to balance myself but Alfie, who wasn't prepared for that lost his footing and went crashing into a boy who was just leaving Madam Malkin's.

The two boys hit the ground with a _Thud!_ and I winched as the two boys groaned and tried to comprehend what just happened.

"Are you guys alright?" I asked, looking from Alfie, to the boy he'd knocked into. He was about an inch taller than me with pale, pale skin and gray eyes. His hair was so blond it was almost white and he dressed in all black, expensive looking, robes. He looked like some kind of prince to me.

When he sat up he shot Alfie a glare.

"I should have know," He snarled, "Ever think about watching where you're going, Blackbourne?"

"Ahh" Alfie said, sitting up with a grin, "Malfoy, it's a pleasure to see you too."

"As if seeing your ugly mug is ever a pleasure," The kid hissed.

I wanted to say something but nothing came out. This kid certainly didn't seem too friendly, but he hadn't said anything to me yet, and Alfie seemed more than capable of fighting his own battles from the smirk on his face, so I kept quiet.

Alfie picked himself up and brushed himself off before offering Malfoy a hand up. The boy snarled looking at Alfie's hand as if it were covering in boils. He got up on his own.

Alfie shrugged and turned back to me, "Sorry about the delay, my lady," He said in a teasing type of way, "Ready to go get your robes fitted, Charlotte?"

Suddenly Alfie was back on the ground. Malfoy pushed him out of the way and suddenly I found myself face to face with tall, blonde, and pushy. I blinked, not sure what the kid wanted from me. I thought he was going to snap at me as well, but his demeanor changed and offered me a small smirk of a smile.

"I know who you are," Malfoy said, "You're Charlotte, Bethany Cartwright's sister! People kept saying they'd seen you."

"Oh they have..? Well, um, yea," I said in a meek voice, "I'm Bethany's sister... And you are..?"

"I'm Malfoy," He smiled, "Draco Malfoy. My family works with your sister sometimes and I've gone to a few of her classes."

"Oh!" I brightened a little, "You've met my sister?"

"Yeah, loads of times. Man, no wondering you're hanging around with Blackbourne here, I heard that she was offering some kind of huge re-"

"Shut it, Malfoy" Alfie cut in, suddenly not so keen to shrug off the Draco's words, "She doesn't want to listen to you."

"Really now? Why don't you let the Charlotte decide that for herself? You're rather protective of your girlfriend, now aren't you," Draco sneered, "But that can't be right because, you're only protective of the people you're trying to rip off, isn't that right, Blackbourne? Bet you haven't even told her about the reward money."

"Reward money?" I stared from one boy to the other. I didn't really know what the boys were talking about but I could already feel a knot forming in my stomach.

"Didn't you know?" Draco looked at me, sympathetically, "Your sister is offering three hundred galleons to anyone with information on your whereabouts. And anyone who knows Blackbourne here, knows the only thing he cares about is money. Doesn't talk to anyone unless he thinks he can get some cash off them. He's nothing but a common thief."

I stared at Alfie wide eyes, begging him silently to tell me Draco was lying, but Alfie wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Bet that was his plan," Draco continued, "trick you into believing he was your friend so you'd come with him to see your sister and take off with the reward money, never to speak to you again."

"Shut your trap, Malfoy," Alfie growled, grabbing Draco by the collar, who immediately didn't look so smug anymore. But Alfie didn't get any farther than that, because just as quickly, I had my wand pointed at Alfie's nose.

"Charlotte?" Alfie narrowed his eyes at me, "Put the wand down."

"No. Let him go, Alfie," I ordered. Alfie looked conflicted before frowning unhappily and letting Draco go, which was good because I didn't know what my plan would have been if he'd refused. I'd never done magic before and I doubt I could have taken anyone down using it. I looked at Alfie and swallowed hard, "Is what Draco said true, Alfie? Did you only come to find me and bring me here because of my sister's money?"

Alfie stared at me silently.

My heart sank. I clenched my, slightly trembling, hands into tight fists and looked down to stare at my feet. Alfie didn't say anything but I already knew what the answer to my question was.

Perfect. Just my luck, Alfie was my first ever friend and he turned out to be a thief and a fraud.

"Charlotte you have to understand," Alfie said, "I need the money for my textbook and my supplies. I told you, everything I do is for my studies, not money. I didn't have any other choice but to trick you."

I shoved Alfie away. I didn't want him anywhere near me.

"So you admit it!" I shouted, my eyes watering "You did trick me! And I thought you were my friend! I can't believe I trusted you!"

"Charlotte..." Alfie said.

"Leave me alone!" I shouted, so loud the people around us were starting to stare as they passed by.

"Charlotte, please..." Alfie tried to get me to listen, but to my surprise, Draco shoved him away.

"The lady said leave, Blackbourne," Draco shot him a smirk. Alfie narrowed his eyes and glared at him. I stared on in surprised silence, shocked that Draco had actually defended me.

Alfie shot me one last withering look before shaking his head, realizing he wasn't going to win me back anytime soon, I sighed heavily and looked at the ground, "Fine, I get it, I'll go..."

I watched as Alfie turned and walked off with his head down, like a kicked puppy. My heart felt like someone had strangled it as he disappeared into the crowd. Fortunately, however, the feeling seemed to melt away as Draco turned to me, puffed up like a proud peacock. To my surprise I realized I'd stopped crying when Draco shoved Alfie away to defend me. I quickly wiped my remaining tears away, and took a small a moment to swallow a lump in my throat before looking smiling a little at him.

"Um, T-thank you," I stammered a little, "You stood up for me there..."

Draco grinned, looking so proud of himself you'd have thought he'd just taken down an army of full grown wrestlers, "Well, like my father always says, wizards like us have to look out for our own kind."

"Wizards like us...?" I asked.

"Pure-bloods," Draco answered plainly, "You see, Charlotte, there are simply some wizarding families who are better than others. If you're not careful things like that will happen," He pointed in the general direction Alfie left in, "You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort."

"The wrong sort..." I repeated, thinking it over.

"Exactly," Draco smiled, "the wrong sort. Just like Alfie Blackbourne. If you want to avoid getting mixed up with people like him, I can help you there."

Draco offered me a pale hand. I stared at it for a moment before looking up at the blond offering it to me. His hair was gelled and combed back against his head, and he offered me a charming smile. He really did look like a prince. Like something out of a fairytale. A true gentlemen...

Slowly I returned Draco's smile with a soft one of my own and took his hand.

* * *

Draco waited for me as I got my robes measured at Madam Malkin's. I stared around at the clothes in the shops. They looked like something out of a movie or out of a history book, although I'm not sure what time period. The clothes I was wearing were the same but I'd never seen so many in one place.

I stood as still as I could as Madam Malkin measured my shoulder length and wrote down numbers on a chart. Draco sat across from me, talking, as I gazed around waiting for Madam Malkin to decide I was done.

"From what father's told me you and your sister's parents disappeared when you were little. Your sister was brought up by a proper pureblood family, the Jarsdels" Draco was explaining, "My family's friends with theirs. When I was little Bethany used to babysit me. I'm much too old for that now though."

"So, you two were close then..?" I asked, turning my attention towards the blond.

"Well, not really. She's a lot older than me, she'd like nineteen, but she used to be close to my mother. Then she invented that empathy potion and got famous," Draco shrugged, "ever since then she became too busy to come by anymore, But I still see her at her classes."

"Yeah," I said, "I keep hearing people talk about these classes she does, what's that about?"

"It's nothing special," Draco said, shrugging, "It's more of a side thing she does, like community service. My dad says she shouldn't bother, but he makes me go sometimes when he has a party planned and needs me out of the house."

"Yes but what does she teach?" I asked, as Madam Malkin began to pin my robes into place here and there.

"Oh," Draco frowned, "Well she teaches pretty much everything. Their for kids who are going to Hogwarts and she teaches them how to prepare themselves for school and tell them what they need to know and how to take notes and organize their schedules how to navigate the school, that kind of stuff. Like I said, I just go there because father makes me, I already prepared for hogwarts. I already know what house I'm going to be in and everything."

"What house you'll be in?" I asked, "What's that?"

"What? You don't know about the Hogwarts Houses!?" Draco stared at me as if I was stupid and I felt myself flush red.

"Well, um, no," I said, sheepishly, "No one ever told me about Hogwarts before... Actually, no one ever told me about magic at all..."

Draco stared at me, his eyes wide in shock.

"Well I was sent to American when I was a baby," My face was red as I tried to explain away my ignorance, "and I went through a lot of different foster homes and no one ever told me about my parents, so I ended up being adopted by my non-magical parents. I didn't know I was a witch until recently."

Draco crinkled his nose in disgusted, "You were actually raised by Muggles?"

"Well, yeah," I frowned, suddenly getting the feeling that being raised by muggles was something to be ashamed of, "I mean, It's not like I'm anything like them! It's not like they're my real parents... My real parents were Pure-Bloods, like us."

The words tasted sour in my mouth and immediately I regretted saying them. My parents were great and I loved them. No matter how ashamed I was about being raised by muggles, I felt ten times more ashamed of saying they weren't my real parents. I wanted to take it back, but I could already see the grin forming on Draco's face.

"I guess you're right," Draco nodded, "I guess even being raised by muggles can't erase good blood status Or good sense, huh?"

I nodded and forced a smile. I'd just have to give my parents a huge hug when I got home to apologize, that's all.

* * *

Once I finished getting my robes fitted, I thanked Madam Malkin and paid her for the robes. We exited the shop and finally Draco and I started walking to Eelops Owl Emporium.

Draco began to ramble on as we talked and I nodded every so often so he knew I was listening. Draco got quite excited when he talked; his eyes lite up and I found he quoted his father quite a bit.

"See, that's the thing you got to remember, Lottie" He said, I wasn't completely sure when he'd started using the nickname, but I liked it, "Muggleborn wizards are just naturally bad wizards. I mean, you and me, we have one hundred percent magical blood in our veins. They don't have any. The fact that they can do magic at all is just some kind of mutation. That's why Blackbourne's such a screw-up. All muggleborns are like that"

I nodded, my stomach sinking as I thought of Alfie. How he'd promised to be my first friend, how happy I'd felt running through the streets with him, and how he'd told me he thought I would be a great witch. Those memories turned sour as I realized it had all been a scam. All Alfie had cared about was getting my money, not being my friend.

"Well, if that's how all muggleborns act. I never want to see another muggleborn again in my life..."

Draco nodded in agreement, "It's a shame Hogwarts accepts them. That's why we have to be in Slytherin. I swear it's by far the only house with any sense. My whole family was in Slytherin. I heard Bethany was, as well, when she went to school there."

"I guess so..." I nodded, "What were the other houses again?"

"Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff," Draco listed them, "But none of them are nearly as good as Slytherin. I guess Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad but I'd die if I was put into Hufflepuff."

"And what about Gryffindor," I asked, curiously.

"Definitely not!" looked insulted, "I would rather drop out. They're probably the worst house. Absolutely no class. No manners. There's nothing civilized about them."

"Oh," I said, "Well I want to be in Slytherin, too."

"Good," Draco said, "your sister will be glad to hear that."

"Wait..!" I stopped short, suddenly reminded of something as the topic of my sister came up again, "Alfie was going to take me to my sister! Now how am I supposed to get to her? I don't even know where she is..."

Draco rolled his eyes, "Please Lottie, calm yourself, It's not that big a deal, I'll just take you with me when I go to her class tonight."

"Really?" I asked staring up at him with wide eyes.

"Yeah, I'm going there anyway. If it was that difficult I wouldn't bother," Draco placed his hands on his hips, trying to act like he didn't care, but when I spotted the grin on his face I knew he enjoyed my gratitude, "And besides, it's like I said, I'm just looking out for my own kind."

I broke out into a grin and threw my arms around Draco, hugging him tightly. He immediately tensed as I places a kiss on cheek. He turned the color of a tomato and pulled away, flustered, making me giggle.

"Don't do that!" Draco hissed, "We're in public..!"

He huffed and walked a few strides ahead of me, trying to act mad, although I could tell he was more embarrassed than anything. I giggled and skipped to keep up.

When we made it to Eelops Owl Emporium, Draco stopped short I ran into the arm he'd stretched out to keep me back. My eyes gazed around for the reason Draco had held me back and fell on the monstrous man I'd seen inside Gringotts as he walked out of the shop, carrying a snowy owl in a cage. I stared at him wide eyed. He was definitely three times my size. He gave us a small wave and a smile through his big bushy beard, as he passed before stalking off into the crowd, which he towered above.

"That's Hagrid," Draco explained, "He's some kind of Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts. Father says he's a drunk. I heard he got expelled when he went to Hogwarts."

"I saw him earlier," I nodded, "with some boy. Alfie said he knew the boy but I can't remember his name. Harold or something like that..?"

"Does it matter?" Draco asked, "Anyway come on, get your owl if you're going to, I need to meet back up with my parents soon at the book shop, and I think father will want to meet you."

"Really?" I asked, honored in a strange sort of way. From the way he talked about him, Draco's father sounded pretty important... And he wanted to meet me..? The only person who'd ever wanted to see me before was , my principal.

Draco nodded, "Sure. It's not everyday I meet someone famous"

"Famous?" I squeaked.

"Of course!" Draco looked at me, as if it should be obvious, "You're the little sister of one of the most brilliant witches in the wizarding world, and your picture's pretty much everywhere. There probably isn't a wizard alive who hasn't heard about you"

"Oh..." I said, not completely sure how to feel about that.

Draco lead me around the store talking about the the different types of owl and how he wanted one but his parents said they were too messy. I focused more on the birds than Draco though. They were all beautiful but I wanted something special. I walked around examining the cages, looking at every detail.

Finally I came to a stop in front of the tiniest cage in the store. An elf owl with caramel colored feathers and white speckles, sat inside tilting it head at me. First to the left, then to the right, giving a small hoot in greeting. I grinned.

Draco frowned.

"She's tiny!" He complained, "She won't be able to carry anything!"

"Well, she won't be carrying anything too heavy," I protested, "I doubt I'll be getting anything bigger than a letter, so she doesn't need to be too big. She's perfect."

"Whatever you say," Draco rolled his eyes.

I placed the cage on the counter and payed for the owl.

Draco and I left the shop with the cage in my hands. Draco took my packages from me so I could see where I was going and carried them under his arm. I hummed happily smiling at the pretty bird I'd gotten.

"What should I name her?" I asked, "I like Abby... I don't know why though..."

"Sounds boring to me," Draco shrugged, "But I don't really care so whatever."

I smiled a little. Draco was a harsh sometimes, but I liked that he was genuine. I didn't sugar coat things and he didn't pretend to like me. I knew he meant what he said, even if it wasn't always nice. Besides, it wasn't as though he was being rude to me, personally. I supposed he was my first _real_ friend. I enjoyed having him around and talking to him and trying to impress him. Well, most of the time anyway...

"Come on," Draco called, "My parents will be expecting me any minute now and I don't want to be late. You don't want to meet father when he's mad."

I smiled jogging to keep up, "Coming!"


	5. No, The Other Potions' Shop

CHAPTER FIVE: NO, THE _OTHER_ POTIONS' SHOP

If I kept a list of all the people I would never think of crossing, Lucius Malfoy would have been at the top.

Draco's father was more than a bit intense, sizing me up, looking me up and down, as if he were trying to decide if I was worthy of being his son's friend or not. The way his eyes bore into me, I felt like an insignificant incest under a microscope. I had never felt so judged in my life, it made me light headed.

However, after a minute, Draco explained who I was, with a slight smile in my direction. It might have been my imagination, but I could have sworn I'd seen a glimmer of pride in his eyes. It was like a kid showing off their shiny new toy. Most kids would have been just a little insulted by that, but not me. I was just happy Draco was showing me off, like I was something to be proud of. No one had ever been proud to have me as a friend before.

Lucius gave me a long hard look as if trying to read my mind before nodding his head slowly, mumbling something about seeing the family resemblance. He then busied himself gazing over the crowd, no longer seeming interested in the conversation. I took that to mean he approved of me.

Narcissa Malfoy was much more welcoming, smiling cheerfully and calling me sweetheart. I honestly think she was just happy that Draco had introduced me as his 'friend' and actually meant it.

"So you're Bethany's sister," Draco's mother cooed, "My, she used to talk about you all the time when she was watched Draco. She absolutely adored you. She was so distraught when you went to different families after you're parents passed away…"

I wanted to ask about my parents but I knew it wasn't the right time or place. Honestly I didn't even know if the Malfoys knew my parents that well, and I didn't want to end up feeling dumb for asking, so I kept my mouth shut. Instead I just nodded my head and smiled shyly.  
"Of course you were only a baby when that happened," Draco's mother continued, "Poor dear, barely got to spend any time with your older sister before you were sent off to... Where was it you said you lived again?"

"Boston, Massachusetts," I replied, "In America."

Draco's parents gave me a long look at that. A look of distaste from Lucius, and one of pity from Narcissa. I didn't really understand why though, so I didn't say anything.

"Well," Draco's mom continued, "You came all this way to see your sister then? Where are your guardians then? I'd love to meet"

Draco and I exchanged a look. I didn't want to explain how I'd run away with a con artist to the Malfoys. It wasn't exactly the best first impression and for all I knew the first thing they'd do was call my parents and send me home. That was the last thing I wanted. I'd only found out I was a witch a few hours ago. I had almost eleven years of catching up to do. I didn't have time to go back to my parents. Not when I had a whole new world to discover.

"Um, actually my parents aren't here with me right at the moment," I lied, making up the story as fast as it spilled from my lips, "They are, um, back at the place we're staying..."

The place we're staying? It sounded so fake but I didn't even know if wizards stayed in hotels and after seeing Draco's reaction there was no way I was admitting to anyone else that I was raised by Muggles.

"I mean, they get held up so I was sent ahead to do school shopping with a friend of mine, but he sort of disappeared. I got lost and Draco offered to help me," I smiled at Draco, who nodded in agreement. I had always been very good at telling lies, I used to refer to myself as the queen of excuses until my parents developed the ability to tell when I was lying in turn.

"I recognized her from the newspapers, I thought it would be foolish of me not to offer my assistance," Draco added, taking the hint from me and playing along with me story.

"Ah," Ms. Malfoy smiled, "I'm glad to hear I raised a gentlemen."

"Yes," Lucius said, still gazing over the crowd, "Well, as much of a pleasure it was to make your acquaintance, , we must be going. I trust you know where you are now. I'd hate to leave you lost."

He said this all with a straight face and monotone voice so I had no idea what he was thinking but part of me got the feeling he didn't want to be around me longer than he had to. But it was impossible to tell. Unlike Draco, who had his every emotion plastered all over his face, Lucius seemed to be the personification of a gargoyle, the same scowl permanently frozen on his face.

"Um, yes, I know where I am," I replied.

Draco's father turned, his dark cloak fluttering vaguely at his feet as he walked away. His mother followed close behind, holding herself tall. She walked regally, like a queen might. It only added to the picture in my mind that Draco was a prince.

"So you're actually taking me to see my sister tonight?" I asked, smiling a little.

"Of course, don't be stupid, a Malfoy never goes back on his word," Draco said, insulted by the implication he hadn't been honest when he'd said he would, "Besides it's either hang out with or spend the entire night listening to Pansy Parkinson drone on about her stupid hair, and you don't make me want to throw myself into a room with an angry dragon quite as much."

I took that as a compliment and giggled, hugging Draco, which he'd already told me not to do in public, but this time he let it slide and stood there awkwardly, seemingly unsure of what to do.

"Draco," I heard called from a few feet away, I let go of Draco to see her smiling at us with a sort of knowing look in her eyes. Draco's father looked down at us coldly.

"I'll see you tonight," I said, grinning.

"Yeah," Draco said, scowling, his face slightly pink, "See you then, Lottie."

I had two hour of time to kill before I meet Draco again at the address he'd given me, to go see Bethany. I had two hours to kill on Diagon Alley. No, correction, I had two hours to kill on Diagon Alley, with enough money in my bag to buy a small village

Naturally, I went shopping.

If anyone ever tries to tell you that muggle fashion is better than wizard fashion, than they are filthy liars. I'd only ever seen cloaks and robes in painting and picture, but in real life they were the most magnificent things a person could wear. I ended up getting a frilly black dress with a floral pattern embroidered into it in silver tread, and a navy cloak with golden clasps that had a star map stitched across it. There was also a baby blue witches hat with a matching scarf and mittens I purchased for when winter rolled around at Hogwarts. I also got pale blue dress laced with shimmering silver tool. Although I wasn't entirely sure where I'd wear it, it sure was beautiful, and besides, like Draco had said, I was a pure-blood. I was supposed to be high society, wasn't I? My sister was famous. Surely I'd find myself at some kind of event in need of an outfit like this one.

After I purchased my clothes I found myself back at the book shop. I had seen about a thousand books I'd wanted to read when I came in here the first time but Alfie had rushed me along without giving me anytime to search the shelves. I'd always been a huge reader, given that I had no social life, so seeing so many books on spells and famous wizards made me giddy with excitement.

I found my way to the back of the shop and squinted at the book titles, looking for something interesting. _The Complete History of Wands_ , _The Greenhouse Effect: the Magic of Herbology_ , and _Everything You Didn't Know You Didn't Know About the Ministry of Magic_ all failed to grab my attention, so I moved on, eyes scanning the shelves until I found something truly interesting.

 _Famous Witches Throughout History: How Women Shaped the Wizarding World._

My hand reached up to grab the book off the shelf. But at the same time another hand reached up as well and made contact with my own as we both placed our hands on the book.

I withdrew quickly, "er, sorry, you take it…"

The girl who'd reached for the book withdrew her hand as well, "That's alright. You can have it. I've already read it twice. It's one of my favorites."

I didn't know how to describe it but as soon as the girl spoke I immediately became uncomfortable. the way she spoke reminded me of the snobby girls in my class. Emphasizing whenever she said the word 'I' and her tone of voice was smug, like she was bragging for having read the book before me.

"Oh," I grabbed the book off the shelf, "You read it twice? That good, huh?

"Yes," the girl said, "Of course, the wording could be a bit clearer and the vocabulary is dreadfully limited but it's a good read. I practically have it memorized."

"Memorized? For real?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Of course, I already have all my textbooks memorized for school as well. By any chance, are you going to be a first year at Hogwarts this year?" She asked.

"Um, yes..?" I replied.

"Ah, I thought so, nearly everyone I've seen shopping here today is. How much have you read from your textbooks?"

"Well, um, nothing yet… I just got them today…"

The girl looked me over silently for a second, which made me feel almost as horrible judged as I had when Lucius Malfoy had done it, "I see, a lot of the others have as well. Do you at least know what house you want to be in?"

I shuffled my feet. I wasn't completely sure yet, but I kind of wanted to be in Slytherin. Draco seemed so confident he'd get in there, and I wanted to have a friend in my house. Besides, Draco had said the other houses were uncivilized and ill mannered so I wasn't even sure there were any other good options.

The girl continued talking without getting my answer, "I want to be in Gryffindor, from what I've read it's by far the best house. Ravenclaw would be nice too though."

"Gryffindor?" I asked. Of all the houses, Draco had the least kind things to say about Gryffindor. Why would anyone think it was the best house? "What about Slytherin?"

The girl crinkled her nose, "a bunch of snobs from what I've heard, although I've never meet them myself, everything I've heard about them says someone needs to knock them off their high horse."

I pursed my lips in dismay, she'd never even meet the Slytherin house and she was already trying to judge them. Even if there were some nasty ones, that didn't give her they right to judge them all that way, Surely there were plenty of great Slytherins. I could already think of one, "my sister was in Slytherin…"

"Oh," the girl said, immediately looking embarrassed and getting really quiet. It seemed as though she were the one who ended up getting knocked off her high horse. Using the long awkward silence as a means of escape I took my book and left.

* * *

I meet Draco outside _'s Hall of Potions._ with his arms folded across his chest, tapping his foot impatiently. It had taken me awhile to find the shop, but i'd still made excellent time. It had taken me awhile to find the address because the shop wasn't on Diagon Alley. It was located in a more secluded part of London. One not nearly as crowded. It was in a wealthy neighborhood made up of tiny narrow building circling a tiny park with lush green grass and a lake with a large fountain floating in the middle, lite by a floodlight which made the water shimmer. The neighborhood was cut off from the rest of London by a giant iron fence surrounding the area.

"You're early," I noted, grinning uncontrollably.

"Well, you know, they say it's better to be three hours early than one minute late, you know," Draco said, "Besides I didn't want to be stuck inside that stupid house when father's guests show up."

"So," I said staring up at the large building standing before me. It was a tall regal looking building made of pale gray stone. The second floor seemed to be made of floor to ceiling windows so you could see the rich green curtains hanging inside. From there up the sides came inward to create the slanted roof, which was made of colorful stained glass window, making the picture of bottles filled with every color liquid. Charlotte was amazed to see the bottles were moving. They seemed to be dancing across the roof. Hundreds of Candles lite every window making the building seem to glow, "This is where my sister…"

"Does business mostly," Draco finished, "she has an apartment in the back, although her real house is way bigger. It's in Wiltshire, like mine The second floor is where she has classes. I'll show you."

I followed Draco into the shop, a few paces behind. Draco walked in confidently, like he owned the place. I was kind of impressed. Draco was just a confident person. I didn't have the guts to just go out and take what I wanted, not like he did, so instead I fixed my hat on my head, trying to cover my face and not be noticed.

The shop was just as magical on the inside as it was on the outside. The shop was filled with shelves of test tubes and bottles of all kinds. There was bags of ingredients and cauldrons of every size and medal imaginable. The whole shop gravitated around the huge steel cauldron in the middle of the room placed over a roaring fire, bubbling with a green liquid. right behind it was a small oak cashier's counter.

I stared transfixed at the steel cauldron.

"It's not real fire" Draco said, noticing, "it's enchanted to bubble like that, the fire's just for decoration. Real fire's too hazardous and it takes to much time to maintain. The potion doesn't even need to boil at all."

"Well what does it do? What's the point of having it here at all if it's just for effect?" I asked.

"I never said it was just for effect," Draco said, "it's an air freshener. Why else wouldn't this place smell like a million different potion ingredients at once?"

"Oh," I said, staring at the cauldron curiously, "well I suppose that's smart. The one at Diagon Alley certainly smelled...interesting..."

"Yeah it did," Draco agreed, crinkling his nose at the memory, "That place is bloody disgusting. That's why most of the families that can afford it go here, it's smells better, has a better reputation and Bethany is the best witch there is when it comes to potions. If you want something done right, you go to her."

I smiled a little with pride. If you wanted something done right, you went to my sister.

"And she runs this all by herself?" I asked, "but you said she's famous. Doesn't she get a lot of attention? What stops just anyone from coming here?"

"Well, for one thing, most people can't afford it," Draco shrugged, "So a lot of people don't bother coming here, and this neighborhood has it's own security team so only certain people can enter, so that means the press can't get in and any...unwanted visitors."

The way he said _unwanted_ made me slightly uncomfortable. I knew he meant. This place was only for the wealthy pure-blooded customers. The common people weren't welcome here.

"I see, and the classes? Can just anyone come to those?"

"Are you kidding?" Draco scoffed, "Of course not. Imagine the type of crowd that would generate. This place would be crawling with well...you know. I wouldn't be caught dead here if that were the case. No, it's by invitation only. She mostly invites the kids who she knows are going to Hogwarts soon and she only invites the kids from good families of course."

"But it's alright that I'm here?" I asked, concerned for a moment.

"Lottie," Draco fixed me with a look, "You're the long lost sister that Bethany Cartwright has been searching for for months. I'm pretty sure she won't care if you don't have a bloody invitation."

I blushed a little, "Right."

"Come on, you can leave your stuff there, the class is held upstairs, this way," Draco said, I put down all my packages from shopping in the corner of the room and followed Draco, who walked to the back of the shop to a narrow stairway covered in red carpeting. I followed him up the the second floor, which absolutely took my breath away.

The stairway opened up into a large ballroom with shiny marble floors and balconies lining the sides of the room, supported by marble columns. mahogany support beams created elegant arches along the wall which stretched up until it reached the stained glass ceiling I'd seen from outside. The far wall was made of wall to ceiling windows which looked out over the lights of London. green velvet couches with golden trim sat in groups here and there and tables of every type of food and drinks imaginable lay underneath the balconies. The crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling completed this masterpiece.

A group of kids our age sat on one of the couches across the room from us. There was a girl in a pale pink dress and a black cloak and two big beefy boys with dark hair sitting across from her eating from plates piled high with food from the refreshments table. I tensed as they stopped their loud conversation and snickering and turned their gaze towards Draco and I.

I looked towards Draco but he was already walking towards the other kids so I had no choice but to follow, fixing my hat to try and hide my face. The others fixed us with cold eyes, I looked away, Draco returned the look.

"Parkinson," Draco said looking from the girl to the boys, "Crabbe, Goyle."

"Draco," The girl said, grinning slightly, "You're early...For a change. Usually you to show up just as the meeting was ending. Your father finally get on your arse about being late?"

"Shut up, Parkinson," Draco glared at her.

The girl turned her gaze towards me, and I tried to shuffled behind Draco, and out of view. But the others had already seen me, it was too late. The girl grinned towards Draco.

"Hey Draco, who's you're friend?" She grinned, "I haven't seen her around before. Is she new?"

"This is Lottie…" Then turned towards me, paused a moment, then with a small hint of dismay on his face, corrected himself, "I mean, this is Charlotte."

The girl made a face, "Yeah, okay, but I mean, like, what's her surname?"

"Cartwright," Draco said, that same hint of pride in his voice, almost like he was bragging, "Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle, I'd like you to meet Charlotte Cartwright."

The three kids froze staring at me with wide eyes. Crabbe dropped the muffin in his hand and with his mouth agape. I suddenly felt as though I was an animal at the zoo, and these were the kids tapping on the glass.

"Er, um, I-" I didn't know what to say, these were Draco's friends, I wanted to get along with them, or impress them or something, but I didn't know what to do. what if they hated me? It was a good possibility given my track record, "Hi?"

The girl popped up and nearly knocked Draco to get closer, grasping my hands, a huge grin on her face, "Oh my god, I recognize you now. You're the girl whose pictures been in the daily prophet. You're all anyone's been talking about! I'm Pansy Parkinson."

"Oh, um, It's nice to meet you," I smiled nervously, if there was one thing I liked about being famous, it was the fact that everyone at least started out trying to be your friend.

"So, Lottie," She smiled looking at Draco who was glaring daggers at Pansy, "How'd you meet Draco?"

I opened my mouth, but Draco cut in, "Don't call her that. You're not her friend, Parkinson."

"Well that's not really your decision now is it," Pansy frowned placing her hands on her hips.

"It's not," Draco said, smirking, "I just assumed any self respecting witch, wouldn't be caught dead with a attention seeking wench like you."

Pansy and Draco continued to argue with each other, with Pansy getting worked up and red faced and Draco smirking and coming up with more and more witty and insulting comebacks. It definitely looked like something I didn't want to get involved with, so I turned my attention to the two boys sitting on the couch still staring at me, wide eyes.

"Hello," I said, offering the boy who Draco had called Goyle my hand, "Charlotte Cartwright. What's you two's names?"

"Gregory Goyle, but just call me Goyle..." The boy said after a long pause, then took my hand in his own chubby one, shaking it lightly, as if he were afraid it would break.

"And I'm Crabbe," The other boy said, though a mouth full of muffin, "Vincent Crabbe."

"Nice to meet both of you..." I said. They were less than charming but they seemed friendly, so I wasn't about to snub anyone based on table manners. I smiled and sat on the couch, waiting for Pansy and Draco to finish arguing.

Finally Draco started ignoring a fuming Pansy and flopped on the couch next to me kicking his feet up onto the coffee table. There was a small pause as he leaned back looking over to Crabbe and Goyle.

"You two," Draco said, getting the boy's attention, "have you heard what people have been saying lately?"

"No?" Crabbe said, finally having swallowed his muffin.

"They're saying..." Draco said, leaning forward, "Thee harry Potter, might be attending Hogwarts this year."

"No way..." Goyle said, "as in the same class as us..?"

"He'd be our age by now," Draco said leaning back again.

"Don't be daft Draco," Pansy said, sitting on my other side, "No one has seen Harry Potter since he was a baby. They say be went into hiding from… He-who-must-not-be-named..."

Pansy shuttered.

"Now who'd being daft," Draco shot back, "You-know-who is dead."

"Sure some people say that," Pansy said, "But not everyone believes that."

"That's dumb," Draco scoffed, "Everyone know that Harry Potter killed him when he was just a baby. He's the only wizard ever to survive the killing curse. Merlin, imagine having that kind of wizard in your class. In your house maybe."

Draco got this dreaming kind of look in his eyes.

"Oh here he goes again," Pansy rolled her eyes, turning towards me, "Draco's practically obsessed with Harry Potter. I bet his head would explode if he ever met him."

"Who's... Harry Potter..?" I asked, trying to remember where I'd heard that name before.

As soon as I said it, I regretted it. The other four kids around the table stared at me wide eyed, with looks of disbelief painted on their faces. They acted as though I'd just said I didn't know what water was. Or air.

"You don't know who Harry Potter is?" Pansy asked, shocked, turning to Draco "She doesn't know who Harry Potter is!"

"That's like saying you don't know who" Draco paused, "He-who-must-not-be-named is."

"Who's He-who-must-not-be-named?" I furrowed my brow, feeling more and more ignorant by the second.

"She doesn't know who you-know-who is!?" Pansy's eyes widened further, "She doesn't know who you-know-who is!"

I pursed my lips, feeling my cheeks turn flaming red.

"Shut up, Pansy," Draco said, shooting her a glare, "But seriously, you don't know who you-know-who is?"

I opened my mouth but the words died in my mouth as a door closed on the other side of the room. I expected more kids to come flooding into the room, or at least that's what I hoped. Instead on the other side of the room, a woman in her early twenties stood tall, her hair was blonde with a light curl, like mine, except her's was cut shoulder length as opposed to my own hair which tumbled down my back, cutting off where my shoulder blades ended. She wore beautiful blue and yellow patterned robes with a black lace patterned dress underneath. The witches hat on her head was made of black velvet. Her hard brown eyes fixed on us from across the room, her thin lines drawn into a straight line.

"Lottie, over there," Draco whispered, "That's Bethany..."

Before Draco even opened his mouth I knew who it was. I reached around on the couch searching for his hand. I felt a little silly for the motion, not knowing if he'd even allow me to do so, but when I found it I gripped just of his finger in my hands. I felt a slight tug, as if he wanted to pull away, but when I looked at him with my ghostly pale face, he stopped resisting and let it happen.

The woman locked eyes with me. Just me, as she walked closer. I didn't know what she would say. I didn't know how I was supposed to react. I felt like running away. I felt like hiding.

But most of all I felt this funny burning along my back. Like fireworks shooting up my spine. From a few yards away, I saw her eyes fall on me and Draco's connect hands. She paused, cleared her throat and then, in a very calm voice, addressed the two of us.

"Draco Malfoy," She said, "I'd like a word, with you and your friend. Follow me, please."


	6. Meeting the Potions Master (Part 1)

CHAPTER SIX: MEETING THE POTIONS MASTER (PART 1)

My first impression of Bethany couldn't have been more off. At first I had thought she was a serious, strict person. It was an easy mistake given her hard eyes and tight scowl. I felt like I was marching to the principal's office as I followed her and Draco down stairs and into the back of the shop.

Behind the counter there was a door, hidden behind a heavy looking oak shelf, which opened up into a small apartment type area like Draco had said there was.

Bethany kept staring back at me with her cold dark eyes as she walked, as if she were trying to read my mind. Either that or she was plotting my death... We entered the tiny living space and Bethany closed the door behind us with a heavy thud.

"Sit," she ordered us.

We did. With a slight huff, she turned, her cloak billowing behind her as she walked over to the kitchenette, and started digging around her cabinets. I suddenly had a bad feeling in my stomach. Draco seemed just as tense as I did, his pale face, somehow, looking even paler than usual.

I turned to Draco, catching his gaze and trying to ask him silently, with my eyes, What's she going to do to us?

Draco slightly widened his eyes and shrugged, telling me clearly, I have no frickin' clue.

I tried to stay positive and looking on the bright side of things. I could tell from how nervous Draco was acting, Bethany didn't usually act this way. That was a good thing, right? ...Right?

Bethany returned to where we sat at the kitchen table and sat directly across from me, setting two things in front of me.

The first was the picture i'd seen in the newspaper Alfie had showed me. My school picture. I still had no idea how she had gotten ahold of it.

The second was a small black bottle with a small cork stopper.

"If you're wondering what that is, that's Veritaserum," Bethany said, referring to the bottle, "colorless, odorless, water-like. It looks completely ordinary, but it's a powerful truth serum. Just three drops can make you spill your deepest secrets. However, the ministry of magic has banned its use for this reason. Otherwise I'd have already made you drink it, but seeing as how it is banned, we'll use this, Instead."

Bethany placed another bottle in front of me, this time a white bottle, "This is Nonmendacium. It's a simple lie detector. It causes the drinker's fingertips to turn purple when they lie. I invented it myself. It's completely safe. Drink."

I was silent for a long moment. I didn't know where Bethany was going with this, but I knew she wasn't going to just let me walk out of here without drinking the contents of the bottle.

I tossed Draco a distressed look, before picking up the white bottle gingerly. I undid the cork and with a hesitant gulp, I swallowed it.

It tasted like what I thought Pumpkin Juice might taste like, although I'd never had it before. It wasn't bad though, just strange, with a salty aftertaste that made me thirsty.

I looked back at Bethany, who was still glaring me down across the table. She held out her hand. I placed my hand in it, palms up so she could see my fingertips.

"Now," she pointed to my picture, "this is your picture?"

"Yes…" I answered, my fingertips remained normal.

Bethany continued.

"And your birthday is?"

"October 31st" I replied, "Halloween day."

I felt Bethany's grip tighten, staring down at my hands, with an unreadable expression. I nervously glanced down at my fingers even though I knew I had answered the question truthfully. I was relieved to see my fingertips had remained the same color.

"How old are you?"

"Ten."

Same result.

The young woman swallowed, staring down at my hand with intensity. She swallowed and I could see a hint of hopefulness behind her eyes, her hard shell beginning to crack, "Are you my sister?"

"I believe so..?" I said, hesitantly.

"Yes or no?" Bethany snapped.

"Yes."

Bethany's grip tightened, her eyes darting down to my fingers as though she were expecting them to change colors, but my fingertips remained their pale milky color. I could feel her hand quiver under my own.

"And your name?" She asked, looking back up at me, her fierce expression disappearing slowly. Her grip so tight on my hand it almost hurt.

"Charlotte Cartwright."

I didn't even get the chance to see if my fingertips changed color or not -though I doubted they would- because Bethany was pulling me into her arms, nearly knocking the table that separated us over. I suddenly found myself with a faceful of Bethany's yellow and blue cloak.

Bethany's breaths hitched, like she was trying to hold back tears as she held me against her chest, arms around me tight. I was stunned for a long moment, before allowing myself to relax into her arms and rest my head against the soft, warm fabric of cloak. Bethany hugged me like that for a long time.

"I'm sorry," her voice cracked, pulling away with a small smile, wiping her eyes and crotching to my height, "It's just been so long. And I've been looking for you for so long... and now look at you. My darling baby sister…"

A grin crept onto my face as Bethany caressed my cheek with her hand, which was incredibly soft and smooth. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. She grinned in return and hugged me once more.

"Look how big you are now… You were only a baby when I last saw you." She said, smiling softly, "I was just about to start my first year at Hogwarts, and now you're about to and look at you! Look at your hair! Everyone thought you were going to grow out of your baby blonde hair, but not me. You grew into a beautifully blonde just like your sister."

I beamed with pride.

Bethany then turned to Draco, who was staring at us with a strange expression on his face, like he wasn't really sure how he should be reacting, like maybe he wanted to run. Bethany just laughed a little at his awkwardness and grinned at me.

"And your friends with Little Malfoy, I see," she said, calling him little Malfoy instead of just Malfoy because that was obviously what she referred to his father as, she squeezed my hands, "A good choice, he really is a fine young man. And he has my sincerest gratitude for bringing you to me."

She turned her attention back to Draco, "Now as for reward money. I really should be handing that over to your parents, but I do remember you saying something about sneaking a broom into Hogwarts," She chuckled and placed a small pouch in front of him that jingled with coins, and winking at him "Consider that a bonus. Remember what I said about Hogwarts's secret passages."

Draco grinned, shooting up from his slouched position, to grab the pouch off the table, his eyes wide with excitement. I stared at my sister, impressed. She really was rich.

Bethany's hand hadn't left mine since they'd connected, as if she were afraid I'd disappear again if let go of me. I didn't mind. I didn't want to let go of her either. I couldn't remember a time I'd felt this happy in my life. I had found out I was a witch, I was rich, and meet my long lost sister all in one day. Surely there were a few bumps here and there in the story, but over all, this was the best day of my life.

"Now Draco," Bethany smiled, "Charlotte and I… We have quite a bit to talk about. Would you mind heading back upstairs to join the others. We'll be with you again shortly."

Draco nodded, grinning as he counted the coins in his pouch. He looked up at me and smiled a bit as he passed, and I smiled back in thanks. After all, none of this could have happened without him. He opened the door with a slight creak.

"Oh, and Draco," Bethany stopped him, smiling calmly, "leave the Veritaserum."

I looked between the two of them, who locked eyes for a few moments, in a silent argument, which Bethany seemed to win because a minute later Draco sighed dramatically, walking over and placing the small black bottle of Veritaserum on the table.

"Thank you Draco," Bethany hummed as Draco turned and left.

Bethany turned back to me with a small grin, her hand finally slipping out of mine, as she straightened and brushed herself off. She stared down at me, sighing contently, as if she just couldn't believe it. I couldn't either.

"Why don't you go take a seat in the living room," Bethany said, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear, "I'll make us some tea and we can talk."

Bethany turned back to the kitchenette and I wandered into the living room and sat with my legs crossed, hands folded in my lap. I tapped my foot a little, staring around the room. It was tiny, but it was cozy. I wondered what Bethany needed another home in Wiltshire for. This place was so nice, I didn't think a person needed more than this.

When I looked down at the hands in my lap, I was surprised to see a slight glowing illuminating from my palms. I separated my hands and stared at my palms, I was surprised to see the glowing was coming from my fingertips, which glowed a royal purple.

I was puzzled. I tried to think what I'd lied about. I didn't think I'd even spoken in quite some time, in fact the last thing I remembered saying was my name, and I knew I hadn't been lying about that. Perhaps the potion worked for thoughts as well, although I had no idea what lie I'd thought either. Perhaps the glowing was just the potion's way of wearing off.

I puzzled over this for a bit, but in the blink of an eyes the glowing stopped and my fingers returned to normal. I narrowed my eyes at this trying to figured out why'd they'd been glowing, but Bethany's voice from the other room cut off my train of thought.

"Charlotte do you take sugar in your tea?"

"Um, yes!" I called back. Bethany nodded, and brought over the tray of tea and sugar and began speaking to me at a fast pace and all thought of potions and fingers and glowing disappeared from my brain. It simply didn't matter. I knew me and Bethany were sisters. We had to be. That wasn't a lie. I knew it wasn't.

* * *

After I'd meet Bethany for the first time so many things happened so quickly, my mind could barely keep up.

Bethany had my head swimming with stories of when I was a baby and how cute I was, and how much she loved me when I was a baby. Although, my favorite stories she told me were about my parents. She told me about how great they were, and kind and fair. How our mother loved us more than anything and how if our father had gotten his way, he would have spoiled us rotten.

I had never hear about my parents, not really, and especially not from someone who'd actually known them, so I hung on Bethany's every word. The only thing Bethany wouldn't tell me was how they died, but I understood, I had only been one when it had happened, but Bethany had been eleven, it must have still be too painful for her to talk about.

After that, Bethany sent an owl to my parents explaining that I was safe and everything that was going. She reassured them that everything would be explained to them in greater detail later. I imagined what a shock this was for my parents. I would have loved to see the look on their faces, getting an owl telling them their daughter was a witch, but I wouldn't have traded my time in London for anything.

After writing the letter to my parents Bethany formally introduced me to her class, and I got to spend the rest of the class with Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Draco.

Draco introduced me to a few of his other friends. For example there was Blaise Zabine, a tall, mostly silent, boy, and a boy everyone simply called Pike, and a chubby dark haired girl named Millicent Bulstrode, who looked like she could be Crabbe and Goyle's sister.

Soon enough the others started to trickle out of the shop and leave for the night, using the fireplace in the back of the ballroom to travel home using the Floo Network. I waved goodbye to the others, feeling as though I were walking on air.

Pansy grabbed my hands and grinned at me, insisting I send her owls over the summer until we could see each other again when school started. I promised I would I hopped she wouldn't notice my glowing purple fingers. Pansy was kind of a nasty person…

Draco was one of the last to leave. He gave me a grin and made me promise that we'd write to each other for the remainder of the summer. I grinned back and promised I would, which unlike with Pansy, was a promise I intended to keep.

That night, after everyone had gone home, I got to slept over at Bethany's shop but I was promptly brought home the next morning to explain myself to my parents, which had taken awhile, but my mom and dad just seemed happy to have me back. And with that I was left to wait out the rest of the month of August in America.

Luckily, that month flew in the blink of an eye. I didn't think I'd ever say this but, I could hardly wait for school to start. I didn't think I'd ever find myself praying for summer to be over but that's exactly what I found myself doing all throughout the month of August.

Draco and I had written to each other a lot over the summer. There had only been four weeks between then and the beginning of the school year, but I already had more than two dozen letters from Draco, and he probably had the same amount from me. Every time Abbey arrived with a new letter I tripped over myself to read the letter, already knowing who it was from since I didn't write to anyone else.

Bethany came to visit me every so often, giving me beginner potions classes before school started.

"You're going to love your potions professor," Bethany promised me, "He's strict so you have _got_ to pay attention, but he taught me everything I know about potions. He was friends with mom and dad back when they went to Hogwarts. In fact, I think they may have named him as our godfather in their will. I'm not sure though, I'd have to find it and check."

"But if he was our godfather," I asked, "Why didn't you go live with him when mom and dad... ya know, passed away?"

"Well, that wasn't really..." Bethany paused, "It's complicated... It was Dumbledore's decision."

I decided not to question her any further. Either way I was grateful for the potions lessons, especially since Bethany kept saying how Professor Snape would expect his students to know the basics of potions on the first day. I didn't mind though because Potion making was actually really interesting. It reminded me a lot of science class, which was my favorite subject at my old school. Also, the look of pride on Bethany's face when I got a potion right was beyond satisfying.

That summer, for the first time, I had a sister, and my first friend and a bright new future to look forward to. Surely no one was this lucky but every morning when I woke up and realized it was all real I felt my heart swell more and more. And that summer, despite feeling like the longest, would go down in my mind, as the best summer of my life.

* * *

The first of September drew nearer and nearer until, finally, one morning my alarm clock went off and to my excitement, It was September 1st. The day I'd been waiting for forever.

I had barely slept the previous night. How could I? I was about to go to a school full of people exactly like me. I was about to learn to use magic and make new friends. By tonight I would be sorted into my house! I was going to see Draco for the first time in a month!

The sorting ceremony was what I was looking forward to the most. I couldn't wait. Everyone already seemed to know what house they wanted to be in. All the smart kids had their hearts set on Ravenclaw and the more soft spoken kids would obviously find themselves in Hufflepuff, then there were the kids like the girl I'd met in the bookstore, who wanted to be placed in Gryffindor. No one really knew how you were placed into your house, but I already knew what house I was going to be in.

Bethany had told me all about the Slytherin house. How determined they were and they strove for greatness. How they could help me do great things. Bethany had been in Slytherin, and so had my parents, and their parents before them. In fact, my whole family was full of Slytherins. It would make sense that I'd be placed there too. It was as if it were meant to be, and besides that my best friend would no doubt be in Slytherin too.

Draco's family, like mine, had been placed in Slytherin for generations. I could already imagine all the fun we'd have, in class together everyday and sharing a dorm and a table in the great hall. It would truly be a magical year.

I was already dying with excitement as Bethany and I arrived at King's Cross Station. I followed Bethany through the station, which I still didn't really understand. I wasn't sure if the train stations in America were any different than the ones in England but it didn't really matter because I didn't know how either worked.

Finally we stopped between platforms 9 and 10.

I put my hand on the barrier between the two platforms curiously. It seemed quite solid to me, but from what Bethany had said, this was the entrance to platforms 9 ¾. I turned to my sister.

"You're not trying to trick me, are you?" I asked, quizzically.

Bethany looked insulted.

"Of course not!" She said, "You just take a running start at that wall, and don't be nervous! It's that simple, then you're on the Platform."

I stared at the wall once more. I knocked on it once more, only to confirm how solid it seemed. I suppose I'd find out if Bethany was kidding me or not if I crashed. I backed up a little wheeling back my Trolley. I closed my eyes taking a deep breath.

"If I crash..." I warned my sister.

"You won't crash!" Bethany insisted, "Now go!"

I guessed I didn't have anything to lose. I forced myself to turn off my logical brain and started walking quickly towards the wall quickly. I speed up til the point where it was too late to stop even if I wanted to, so prevent me for backing out. The barrier was coming nearer and nearer. I wouldn't be able to stop and my cart was out of control. I was a foot away, I squeaked and closed my eyes ready for the crash - ready to look like and idiot.

And I did.

Crash I mean, but the good news is, I didn't crash in the way I thought I would.

For a split second I was there, Platform 9 ¾, everyone bustled around me. I had made it through the barrier! I was on cloud nine, I had made it! I could see the cherry red and black train on the track, smoke blooming out into the air. Then BAM! I was on the ground.

There was the awful sound of metal clanging, and I squeaked as I tumbled onto the floor as my trolley collided with another student's. There was a long silence as I registered the pain in my ass and tried to get a grip on my surroundings. I could hear whispers all around as other kids and their families passed around me, my stuff, -which had scattered across the ground- the boy I'd crashed into, and his stuff -which had done the same thing- I groaned and sat up, just as my sister came walking over.

"Well Charlotte," Bethany scolded, "I told you, you weren't going to crash and you just _had_ to make a liar out of me, didn't you?"

I frowned, picking myself off the ground and gathering my stuff once again. Bethany helped me put my stuff back on the trolley. I was just about done picking my stuff back up, when I became painfully aware of Abbey's upset cries. I panicked and spun around looking for her cage.

To my surprise, I looked to my left and my eyes fell on Abbey's cage. The boy I'd knocked into, a skinny boy with wild black hair and round glasses, held Abbey's cage gently, trying to soothe her upset crying.

I rushed over, and knelt next to the boy, who looked at me embarrassed and passed me her cage. I took it, scratching the funny birds head soothingly. The boy looked on as I placed her cage atop my Trolley.

"I am so sorry!" I said, sheepishly, "It's my first year here, and I thought I was going to crash and my sister said it worked better if I did it at a run, but then I saw a wall and I closed my eyes and then I was here but I wasn't looking where I was going and I thought the way would be clear but this place is way more crowded than I thought it would be. I mean, I knew it would be crowded, but I didn't know it would be like this so I probably should have slowed down but..."

I had to pause to take a breath, panting slightly from my insane rambling and the crash. Probably half the reason I got picked on so much back at home was because I talked _more_ when I got embarrassed, but to my surprise the boy only smiled.

"It's okay, I did the same thing, I mean, I didn't crash into anyone, but ya know. This is my first year too." The boy smiled at me so sweetly that I couldn't help but smile back.

As soon as I did I heard a voice in the crowd, "Is that Bethany Cartwright!?"

"Right! And that's her sister, Charlotte!"

"Who's that boy she's talking to?"

"Is that who I think it is!?"

Suddenly feeling a little exposed I shrank down, trying to keep myself from being seen under my witch's hat. Ever since Bethany and I were reunited there were more and more articles and pictures of me in the newspapers. More pictures, more interviews. If I thought people knew me before, Now, _everyone_ knew me. Bethany and me were the most famous sister duo in the wizarding world. I doubted there was a person alive who didn't know my whole life story. It was just a little off-putting.

"Well, um, I hope to see you around," I said quickly, pushing my Trolley past the boy, "Uh, sorry again!"

I made my way to catch up with Bethany, who was simply eating the attention up, shaking hands with complete strangers and signing students potions books and waving to people. I had no idea how she did it.

"Thank you," Bethany smiled, "Thank you, you're too kind! Have a wonderful school year! I can't wait to see all the new Slytherin first years! You know I'm counting on you guys to win the house cup again!"

I hoped we did. I wanted to make my sister proud.

Finally towards the back of the train, where the crowd thinned out, Bethany knelt in front of me, and grinned, placing her hands on my cheeks in a big sisterly fashion.

"I expect you to have a great year," She smiled, "And remember what I taught you."

"Always take the cauldron off the fire before adding the porcupine quills," I replied.

"That's my girl," Bethany grinned, "Now I might be mistaken but I believe that's little Malfoy over there waving you over."

I turned around so fast I nearly crashed again. Sure enough across the platform I could see Draco, already changed into his school robes, waving at me casually, looking bored. I turned to my sister once more for permission to leave. My sister smiled.

"I love you Charlotte, don't go getting into any trouble, okay?" Bethany smiled, standing up.

"Love you too!" I hugged Bethany once more before running off to catch up with Draco, calling after him, "Draco!"

I ran over to the blond pure-blood, hugging him so suddenly he nearly lost his footing. Draco made a half squeaking, half choking noise and tried to balance himself. I laughed, as he readjusted his tie and fixed a few stray hairs that I'd knocked out of place.

"Wow!" I grinned in amazement, "Your robes look great on you!"

Draco gave me a look as if to say, _I know_ , "Thanks, Malfoys don't settle for less than the best. I keep seeing kids wearing hand-me-down robes, and it's just sad really."

"Well," I grinned, "You look great! I can't wait to try mine on! Although I really want my house ties and scarf already! I can't wait to get into Slytherin. We'll have all our classes together and Bethany says the Slytherin common room is the best! It's going to be amazing!"

Draco grinned, "I heard the Slytherin house wins the house cup almost every year because their Quidditch team is the best! I'm going to be the team seeker, ya know. You haven't seen me fly yet, but when you do, you'll see what I mean."

"I don't doubt it!" I giggled, I honestly couldn't wait for flying lessons. I still really wanted to know what flying a broom felt like. My dream still nagged at me now and again and I just hoped flying a broom would feel as incredible as I thought it would.

There was a sharp whistle and all heads turned towards the train. I gripped Abbey's cage against my chest and looked back to where Bethany had stood, but she'd already disappeared so I turned back to Draco.

"Come on, let's go, before all the empty compartments are taken," Draco said, hopping onto the train.

I took a deep breath staring up at the cherry red and black train, with it's golden wheels and shiny windows. _Hogwarts Express_ was printed across the side in big gold letters and it's whistle rang clearly through the air. It all seemed like a dream. Only better. I couldn't believe I was really here. All I needed to do was get on…

"Lottie!" Draco called from on the train, waving me to hurry up.

I grinned and stepped onto the train to follow Draco.


	7. All Aboard The Train of Disappointment

CHAPTER SEVEN: ALL ABOARD THE TRAIN OF DISAPPOINTMENT

Draco and I found ourselves in a compartment in the back of the train with Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, Pansy, and a boy who I hadn't met before named Theo, who seemed more interested in reading then interacting with the others, which was fine by me, since I spent most of the ride talking with Draco.

I sat in the window seat staring out at the passing scenery. Draco and I pointed out the window at the amazing sights, with stupid grins on our faces nudging each other to point out different things the other might have missed and giggling as the train chugged on. A couple of times I heard Pansy try to get our attention and although I answered her, Draco continued to ignore her, and she'd just huff and sigh dramatically.

Halfway through the train ride, Draco and had a map of the school from my sister's class spread across the table.

"That's the potions room, and this is the charms classroom," I said pointing, "did you know the staircases move? Because they do."

The others nodded in boredom.

"And this is the great hall, that's where everyone eats," I said to no one in particular, "This table here's the Slytherin table."

"So essentially the cool table," Pansy smirked. I giggled a little at her joke, and Pansy beamed.

The others talked among themselves laughing and pointing at the map, showing the other where their favorite classes would take place, I talked with Draco about potions, which we both agreed would be the best class.

Just then the door to our compartment burst open with a loud bang. I blink my eyes in confusion up at the girl who'd opened it. To my surprise I recognized her.

It was the same girl I'd met in the bookstore the day I'd met Draco, the one who'd said she wanted to be in Gryffindor and said Slytherins were just stuck up snobs who needed to be knocked off their high horse.

"Has anyone seen a toad?" The girl asked, "A boy named Neville's lost one."

"A toad?" Draco asked, eyebrow raised, "Yeah, maybe check the history books. When's the last time someone brought a toad to Hogwarts?"

The group giggled.

The girl frowned.

"I don't think that's very funny," the girl announced, "Bringing toads as a pet to Hogwarts is an old tradition. Back when Hogwarts was first founded you weren't allowed to bring cats or owls to Hogwarts because of the number of children with fur and feather allergies was at an all time high, so it was problematic. they only started allowing students to bring other pets in recent years because toads-"

"Get lost easily?" Draco took a guess.

There was another round of giggles, and I held in a laugh.

The girl huffed in annoyance, her brown curl bouncing in irritation, "You are quite immature, you know that?"

And with that she spun on her heels and disappeared down the corridor. There was a small pause before we all broke down and burst into laughter. Although I felt kinda bad for teasing the poor girl, since I knew how it felt, but she had teased my soon-to-be house and my sister first, so I supposed this made us even.

"Man talk about getting knocked off your high horse," I hummed under my breath, "That girl always talks like she's better than everyone else on the planet..."

Draco raised an eyebrow, "You know that girl, Lottie?"

I shrugged, "I only met her once, on Diagon Alley in this bookshop. She kept talking about houses and calling Slytherin stuck-up."

Draco crinkled his nose, " _She's_ talking about being _stuck-up_?"

I giggled a little, but a moment later all our laughter was put on pause as we heard excited voices coming from the compartment across the aisle from ours. We all leaned towards the door to see what they were talking about.

It was a group of older student, a couple of red headed twins, talking to a group of their friends, excitedly. We all listened in trying to make out what they were saying, but the trains constant movement muffled the voices.

"We're telling you, it's true!" One of the twins said, grinning.

"We saw him! Harry Potter!" The other continued, with a similar look on his face.

"On the train!" The first finished.

"Harry Potter on the train? Do you think that's true?" I asked, I'd read enough letters from Draco to know exactly how big a deal that was. Pansy hadn't been kidding when she's said Harry Potter was Draco's hero, Draco had looked up to Harry since he was little so I wasn't surprised by the excited and mystified look on Draco's face when I looked over at him.

"Only one way to find out," Draco said climbing out of the seating compartment in a hurry, "Crabbe, Goyle come on! You too Lottie!"

Crabbe and Goyle were right behind Draco but I lingered a moment, as Pansy tried to fix my hair, grumbling about my curls.

"Ow!" I complained.

"Oh hush!" Pansy scowled, "A girl only gets to meet Harry Potter for the first time once! Don't you want to make a good impression?"

I looked towards Blaise, silently pleading for his help, finally he sighed, "Pansy, let the poor girl go already, would you?"

Pansy turned to argue with Blaise and let go of my hair, giving me an opening for an escape. I walked down the train aisle searching for any sign of Draco and the other, or the mythical Harry Potter.

When I finally caught up to the others I was about to call out to them, but instead I feel silent, listening to Draco speak to a boy who I assumed must be Harry Potter, although I couldn't see the-boy-who-lived's face. I couldn't hear any of what the boys were saying until I drew closer, and I heard Draco in a cool voice saying, "can help you there."

Draco was grinning and I could see the little glimmer of excitement in his eyes, although he was doing his best to play it cool as he stuck out his hand to Harry. To anyone else, this was just Draco being Draco, but I knew this had to be the best moment of Draco's life. He was finally meeting his hero. I sighed, feeling happy for him… That is until, the glimmer in Draco's eyes died as Harry refused to take Draco's hand.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," I heard a voice say and I knew it had to be Harry speaking.

There was complete silence for a good long moment.

Draco didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks. I knew Draco must be heartbroken, but he seemed to be great at hiding it because all I could read on his face a anger. I, however, was red with fury. I hadn't heard the two boy's full conversation, but I had heard enough.

Who did this kid think he was, talking to my best friend like that? Draco had worshiped this kid since he was little and here he was snubbing him like that. What was his deal? So, the great Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord and became famous and suddenly he was too good to be friends with Draco?

Not only was I mad for Draco's sake, but I was personally offended as well. How could Harry just reject someone like that? Didn't he know how lucky he was? I had spent my whole life being teased and rejected. Never once did I just have someone come up to me and offer to be my friend, not until I met Draco. Didn't Harry know what a gift this was, and here he was taking that for granted.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

I had to admit it was a low blow. Bringing up Harry's parents like that was totally uncalled for and even made my gut twist a little. It was totally not okay but I couldn't blame Draco for being mad, I would be too, and everyone says things they don't mean when they were mad.

"Say that again," I heard another, slightly high voice say, perhaps someone that Harry had decided was actually "worthy" of being his friend, which made me wonder what this kid had that Draco didn't.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Unless you get out now," said Harry. And that was the last straw. No one spoke to my friends like that. Not even Harry Potter.

"Hey!" I cut in, stepping closer into the gathering of boys in front of Harry's compartment and linking arms with Draco, proudly, "Do not speak to him like that!"

My cheeks were red as I locked eyes with the other two boys standing inside the compartment. The two boys stared at me with wide eyes, looking from my face, to me and Draco's linked arms, then back at Draco.

The first boy stared at me with big green eyes, behind big round glasses, and a slightly agape mouth. I could see the boy's lightning scar peeking out from beneath his wild black hair. There was no doubt in my mind that this was Harry Potter. No one else had a scar like that. He looked exactly like Draco had said he would in his letters. But I was also surprised to see that harry looked exactly like the boy I'd crashed into on the platform. Not only that, but I was pretty sure it was safe to say he was the boy I'd crashed into on the platform.

The second was a red headed boy with a splash of freckles across his cheeks and a big nose. His face was nearly as red as his hair as he glared at Draco. As soon as he locked eyes with me he searched my face, obviously trying to remember where he'd seen me before.

Harry's eyes widened slightly at me as well, no doubt remembering me from the Platform. I was surprised to think that Harry and the sweet boy I'd seen on the platform were the same person, after all, it was surprising to think anyone who could smile that sweetly could be so cruel to someone they'd just met but I suppose I'd known plenty of bullies who smiled sweetly enough to get themselves out of trouble.

Suddenly something seemed to click with the red-headed boy and his eyes became wide as saucers, mouth dropping open in shock. He tugged Harry's sleeve, pointing at me in the same fashion me and Draco had to the scenery outside the train window, "Bloody hell! You're Charlotte Cartwright!"

"Who?" Harry asked. My cheeks burned an even darker shade of red at the insult. Oh, so not only was Harry Potter too big a star to associate himself with Draco, but he was too big a star to even know who I am? Why did this kid think he was above everyone else?

"I'm not surprised you don't know," Malfoy smirked, throwing me a slightly look as if to say, Don't worry, I got this, "I guess big time heroes like yourself forget you're not the only famous person in the world sometimes."

"Whatever Malfoy, just leave, would you," Harry frowned. I gripped Draco's arm a little tighter in frustration.

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some."

Draco smirked at me, but I only looked back uneasily. As cruel as Harry was, I didn't want to start a fight. I didn't want to get into any trouble before I'd even gotten to Hogwarts. Besides I knew I'd feel terrible if someone got hurt, whether I liked them or not.

"Come one Draco," I said, tossing Harry and his friend a look, "Let's get out of here, it's not worth it..."

Draco sneered, "But Lottie, I think teaching Potter and Weasley here the importance of sharing is plenty worth it."

Before I could try and convince Draco otherwise, Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs, next to the red-headed boy, Draco had called Weasley. I feel silent, heart thumping, waiting for the fight to break out.

However, before any real damage was done, Goyle let out a horrible yell, nearly making me jump out of my skin. I let go of Draco's arm and went to go see what was wrong with the other boy, who was screaming intensely.

I squeaked as Goyle swung his hand in my direction and I was surprised to see a rat was hanging off his finger! It's sharp little teeth had sunken deep into Goyle's knuckle. I tried to get the boy to stop moving so I could help but Goyle swung the thing round and round, in the air, very narrowly missing my face, and he would have too if Draco hadn't pulled me out of the way by the collar, making me land on my ass, with a painful thud.

The rat finally flew off Goyle's finger and hit the window with a smack. There was a moment of dead silence, before I heard Draco whisper, "Oh hell, run."

And like that they were gone, leaving me alone with Harry and his redheaded friend. I couldn't figure out why though until a second later, the same girl who'd just given me a history lesson on toads popped up again.

"What has been going on?" she said, her eyes darting around from the sweets littering the floor to the red headed boy picking up his rat by the tail.  
"I think he's been knocked out," He said to Harry, looking closer, squinting slightly, "No - I don't believe it - he's gone back to sleep-"

I giggled a little at that.

"Oh and I suppose you think this is funny!" The boy shot me a sharp glare, and I looked down sheepishly. If I hadn't wanted a fight to break out back when there were three, much bigger, boys around to defend me, I certainly didn't want one now that I was alone.

Harry put his hand on the boy's shoulder, "It's okay, Ron, she wasn't trying to insult, you I don't think," Harry turned to me, and offered me a hand "Are you okay? I thought you were going to get hit in the head for a second there."

I frowned and stood up, without taking Harry's hand. Instead I turned to the boy, who harry had called Ron.

"I'm, um, sorry about all that," I apologized quietly, pulling my hat to cover my head, "I promise you, Draco's much nicer under, er... different circumstances. Your rat, is he alright?"

"Yeah," Ron said, seeming to lighten up, "He'll be fine, although I don't think he's going to wake up until next week. But that's normal for him."

I smiled a little.

"Well um, I guess I should go back to my compartment then. Goyle's going to need a band-aid..." I fretted.

And with that Harry and Ron sat back down and went on talking as I back out into the aisle, only catching a few words on what they were saying.

"So who was that?" Harry asked, "Draco said she was famous like me?"

"Yeah," Ron said, "That's Charlotte Cartwright. Her sister is a potion's genius. Apparently the two were separated while Charlotte was a baby after their parents died. After that Charlotte just kind of disappeared. That is, until now. She just kind of showed up a month ago and finally got to meet her sister. They say she didn't even know she was a witch until she returned to London."

I wandered off, letting the story fade into the distance. It was the same old story I'd read in every newspaper I came across. It kept coming up everywhere to the point where my life story was starting to sound a lot like a song on repeat.

I was thinking just that as I walked back to my compartment, which was what had distracted me as I walked down the aisle, causing me to collide with a boy walking down the corridor as well. I didn't fall this time, which was lucky because getting knocked on my ass three times in one day would have been enough to send me over the edge. I was so busy thanking god that I hadn't fallen that I almost didn't realize that I should have been cursing him instead.

I tipped my hat upwards to see who I'd knocked into, and my stomach knotted.

"Charlotte," Alfie breathed in shock.

I stared at him in silence. Alfie stared at me, he was the same height as when I'd seen him last, with his brown hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, with strands sticking out everywhere and shorter pieces falling over the nape of his neck. His bright green eyes looked like that of an owl's. He was already changed into his school robes which framed his skinny figure and would have made him look more distinguished than the last time I'd seen him, if not for his black tie which looked as though he'd tied it using seven different Boy Scout knots.

"I see you made it onto the train," Alfie continued, a slight blush crawling up his neck, "I um, I guess that makes us classmates now."

I fidgeted with my hat, nervously, whispering hurriedly, "Yeah, I guess we are. Bye..."

I brushed past Alfie trying escape from the conversation as soon as possible. I hadn't seen Alfie in a month, and in that time I'd made plenty of friends and gotten to meet my sister without his help, but running into him still opened up old wounds. Alfie had been my first friend, and the whole time it had been an act to make a few galleons, he hadn't been interested in getting to know me at all. It was unforgivable.

"Charlotte wait," Alfie said, suddenly turning and taking my waist, causing the blood to drain from my face. My stomach churned as Alfie took a deep breath, getting ready to say something.

Something he never got out, because another voice cut him off. It was Draco walking towards us from down the corridor, arms folded across his chest, followed by Crabbe and Goyle -who still seemed to be nursing his knuckle- Draco glared Alfie down, growling, "Hands off, Blackbourne."

Alfie's hand let go of my wrist, immediately.

"Gee Blackbourne," Draco hissed, "I knew you were dimwitted, but I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to show your face in front us again."

Alfie looked like he wanted to throw out a witty comeback but as soon as I stepped behind Draco, he shut his mouth and just sighed, "Right, sorry, I just wanted to say, you should think about getting your robes on soon, some girl named Hermione told me we'd be arriving soon."

"Whatever, get lost Blackbourne," Draco scoffed.

Alfie threw me one last apologetic look, causing me to turn my gaze towards the floor until I heard his footsteps fade into the distance.

"Lottie," Draco turned to me, "We thought you were behind us when we ditched Potter and Weasley, we've been looking for you everywhere."

"Sorry, I got held up," I muttered.

"I can see that" Draco said, tossing a glare in the direction Alfie had left in, "And you're okay?"

"I am now," I smiled a little at Draco's concern, "thanks for saving me...again."

"It's not big deal," Draco said, "It's the least we could do after Goyle almost slugged you in the head."

Draco tossed a hard glare in Goyle's direction.

"Well that's alright, really!" I said, quickly, "I'm fine see? He didn't even touch me. Speaking of which, Goyle, your knuckle, let me see it, you're bleeding…"

And he was. I cupped my hand under the bigger boy's to stop the blood from dropping onto the train carpet, insisting on heading back to the compartment so I could treat it. When we got back, I was amazed to see Pansy and Blaise still arguing. But that was Pansy for you, she'd argue with you for as long as you let her, then longer.

The boys and I slid back into our places. Pansy and Blaise finally stopped arguing with each other long enough to welcome ups back. Not a moment later, Draco began retelling exactly what had happened when he met Harry.

"I can't believe how mean he was," I muttered, digging into my purse and pulling out a band aid, which I smoothed over Goyle's knuckle. Before Bethany would teach me anything about potions she'd taught me to always carry first aid supplies with me wherever I went, saying that it would come in handy if I ever made a mistake with a potion. I slumped back into my seat as Draco finished his story, "Acting all high and mighty, like he was better than us..."

"I couldn't agree more," Draco slumped as well, "He's the worst. I can't believe I actually thought..."

Draco didn't bother finishing his sentence, he simply folded his arms across his chest and pouted. I felt bad for him. He'd wanted to be Harry's friend so badly. It was practically all he'd talked about all summer. Having his dreams crushed like that, I could only imagine what that felt like.

"Well, you know what I say?" I said, trying to cheer Draco up, "Who would want to be friends with Harry Potter anyway? Half of the reason everyone thinks he's so great is because people build him up to be better than he really is. He's nothing special if you ask me."

Draco smiled, halfheartedly "You're exactly right, Lottie. Exactly."

Pansy tapped my shoulder, "Charlotte, everyone's saying we're almost there, let's go get changed."

I turned back to Draco, squeezing his shoulder gently as I stood, smiling gently at him, "Ya know, If Harry had any brains at all, he'd be begging to be your friend, Draco. He has no idea what he's missing."

There was a moment in which Draco processed this before beaming, pridefully. I grinned as well, glad that I could get a real smile out of him before I leaned up, grabbed my suitcase and fished out my school robes. I caught a glimpse of lights in the distance and I could hear gasps and whispers echo Throughout the train.

"Look there! There it is! Hogwarts!"

"Come on, we'd better hurry," Pansy told me. I didn't even try to suppress my excited grin, as I forced myself away from the view out the window and followed Pansy to get changed.


	8. The Sorting Hat's Great Mistake

**Author's Note: Hello people! Sorry in advance that this chapter is so long but it's kind of an important one! We finally get to find out what house everyone's sorted into! So leave a review telling me what you think, if this was what you wanted to happen or what you thought, or just telling me you liked the chapter, because really reviews are what get my to write. If I don't get any reviews on a story I end up losing interest. Thanks for all the support!**

CHAPTER EIGHT: THE SORTING HAT'S GREAT MISTAKE

Hogwarts was even better and bigger than I'd ever pictured it… I had piled into a small narrow boat which magically sailed itself across the river with Draco, Blaise, and Pansy. I sat at the front end of the boat next to Draco who kept having to grab me by my robes to keep me from springing to my feet and capsizing us every time I saw something amazing.

"Seriously Lottie" Draco hissed, "I will _not_ show up to the The start-of-term banquet dripping wet."

"Sorry," I said, settling back down in the boat, staring up at the school which lay before me with wide eyes. I could tell from the gasps and excitement around me everyone else was impressed as well, even Draco, who tried to suppress a grin, and failed miserably.

Perched atop a high mountain on the shore ahead, was a vast castle made of dark stone, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, casting their warm light onto the water's surface, making the water shimmer. I'd never seen anything like it… It was wonderful. I'd never been inside a castle before, and now I'd be living in one! I already felt like a princess.

"Isn't it wonderful, Draco?" I grinned at him, "Have you ever seen anything more beautiful in your life?"

"I don't know," Draco said, "It's impressive, sure, but you haven't seen the Malfoy Manor yet, so you haven't seen anything of true beauty to compare it to."

Soon enough we were sailing under the castle and our boats docked at an underground harbor with a small beach made of small gray pebbles. Our boat pulled up to the shore and I was the first one out, hopping onto the shore and waving my hand at Draco to hurry up as he climbed out as well, before racing ahead to follow the rest of the first years.

"This is the first banquet I've ever been to!" I squealed a little, as Draco caught up and link our arms so I wouldn't run off without him again, "It sounds so fancy!"

"Trust me," Draco rolled his eyes, "It's not all that exciting."

"But how could you not be excited Draco!?" I grinned, "We're going to be sorted into our houses! And we're going to have the best house of all, I just know it!"

"You're getting way too into this whole Slytherin thing," Draco grinned, amused. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh hush," I pouted, "you do the same thing, don't act like you don't."

Draco shrugged, "fair."

The castle doors swung open with a bang. A tall, black-haired woman stood stiff as a broom in the doorway, looking down on us with dark, narrow, eyes. She wore emerald-green robes, kind of like mine, and a tall black witch's hat. She had a very stern face and I knew at once this person was not someone to be tested.

"That's Professor McGonagall," Draco whispered, "She's the Deputy Headmistress, and the head of the Gryffindor house."

"I guess she'd important then..?" I said.

"Very," Draco nodded, "Or at least, I'm not going to mess with her, look at her..."

I was at least glad to hear I wasn't the only person to get that impression from Professor McGonagall. Of course I wasn't about to test any of the teachers here. This was the first really good thing that had ever happened in my life and I was not about to mess it up. I wasn't about to get myself expelled or anything like that.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid, standing up in front of our group, gesturing to us with a gigantic hand.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

The professor pulled the door open wide, to make room for us first years to clamor inside, which wasn't hard since the entrance hall was so big you could have fit a house through it. My jaw dropped when we stepped inside and I heard a gasp echo through the crowd.

The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, which reminded me of what the wizard bank, Gringotts, looked like. The ceiling was so high above us, I couldn't even make it out, and a magnificent marble staircase, so shining I could see my face in it. It lay in front of us, leading up to the upper floors, and I silently wondered if it was one of the staircases my sister warned me moved.

We followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor, in awe. I could hear the rest of the student body's droned voices coming through the doorway, but Professor McGonagall lead us to into a separate chamber.

We all squished together in order to fit into the tiny room, and I could see a couple of my classmates peering about nervously. I could see Harry Potter standing towards the front with his friend, Ron, and the know-it-all girl from the train on the other side of the room talking with Alfie, with a big grin on her face.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

She paused as we all stared at her with a bit of tension. There wasn't a person in that room that didn't know how important this was.

McGonagall continued, "The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

McGonagall's eyes lingered for a moment on Harry's group towards the front, and Draco snickered as they started frantically trying to clean themselves up. I elbowed him, smiling a bit, and mouthing _be nice._

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

And with that she left the chamber.

Draco busied himself with this hair, and I tucked a stray curl back into the french braid Pansy had forced me into. I heard a few peoples hushed whispers through the crowd. I heard a couple kids asking, "How exactly do they sort us into houses?"

This hadn't exactly crossed my mind and I began to wonder myself, How does one get sorted into their house? Who decided? Was there some kind of test? But how did one test someone's kindness, courage, intelligence and ambition? I should have asked Bethany but it had completely slipped my mind. I turned to Draco and debated asking him for a good minute. I didn't want to look stupid for asking since Draco didn't seem concerned in the least. He looked like he knew exactly what was happening.

I tried to tell myself not to worry. That the school wouldn't ask us to do anything we weren't capable of but but as I looked around the room and saw everyone else looking terrified, and started to wonder if I really should be scared. No one was talking much except Alfie and the know it all girl, whispering very fast to each other comparing notes on the spells they'd learned and wondering which one they'd need, the other one adding things the first had forgotten when needed. I squeezed Draco's arm a little tighter, knowing any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead them all into the great hall to be sorted.

I closed my eyes and tried to block the sounds of concerned mumbling from my head. When I finally thought I'd eased my mind a bit I opened them again to look towards Draco.

But when I did Draco's face was not was I saw

Instead, there was a figure of a man, with his head poking in between me and Draco, smiling at me. He was pearly-white and slightly transparent, and seemed to float and inch off the ground.

"Hello," The man said good-naturedly.

I screamed.

I jumped back, slamming against the back wall. I looked around the room, to make sure the others were seeing what I was, and judging from the other screams and gasps around the room, they did. several more ghosts glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at us. I steadied my breathing, staring more closely. They seemed to be arguing.

What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance."

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?"

A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the group of us all staring up at them with wide eyes. I returned to Draco's side, asking, "Are those what I think they are..."

Draco nodded, looking a little pale himself.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at us, making his eyes crinkle with delight, like a friendly grandfather might, "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

I hoped not. Draco had practically told me in one of his letters that we couldn't be friends anymore if I was placed in Hufflepuff. Besides, I couldn't imagine my sister beaming with pride as she received a letter from me telling her I'd been put in Hufflepuff. No, Slytherin was the only place for me.

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall, making me breath a sigh of relief. As much as I loved the whole magic thing, ghosts were a little, well, freaky.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall ordered us shaply, "and follow me."

With shaky knees I stepped in line behind Draco, and followed along in line as we walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. Just the sight of the great hall melted away my worries. Not even in my wildest dreams had I ever imagined a place so beautiful or strange.

The hall was completely lit by thousands upon thousands of candles that floated in midair above our head, and the four long tables, where the rest of the students sat staring at us smiling and pointing, some clapping a bit. The tables were set with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the end of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting, each sitting up straight smiling down at us.

Professor McGonagall us up in front of the teacher's table, where we came to a halt in a line, facing the other students, with the teachers behind us. The hundreds of faces staring at looked a bit like pale lanterns in the low light, the candles casting weird shadows on their faces. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. above me, I stared in amazement and delight as I saw the velvety black ceiling above me, dotted with stars.

I could hear the know-it-all girl whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens. It was magnificent. I had to force myself to look away as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the line. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. I had no idea what the professor was going to do with it, but Draco crinkled his nose and whispered to me, "Dear Merlin, that thing is filthy, she doesn't really expect us to wear that thing, does she?"

Everyone in the hall was now staring at the hat, which I could understand since I was pretty transfixed on the hat as well. For some reason that hat made me feel uneasy. I hoped we weren't expected to wear it, too, although not for the same reason as Draco. It wasn't because it was dirty, but because I had a feeling that hat wasn't any ordinary hat, and I didn't trust it. Which I knew was pretty silly, after all, it was just a hat.

For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched, making my stomach jolt. Okay, maybe it wasn't just a hat. My knee shook harder as a rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth, then to make the sight that much stranger, the hat began to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

if you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

I stared wide eyed and pale faced, my stomach churning as the whole hall burst into applause. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

Draco scoffed quietly, "Well if they expect us to wear that hat the least they could do is wash the bloody thing, wait until I tell my father about this- Lottie? Are you alright? You look like you're going to be sick."

"No no," I smiled weakly, although I suddenly felt rather hot, "I'm fine, just nervous..."

"You look pale as hell," Draco noticed.

"Gee thanks" I pouted quietly.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

I watched a pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. I waited to see what the hat did to the girl but for a while nothing happened and then after a moment the hat shouted over the crowd, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah pull off the hat and went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table, completely unharmed. I sighed in relief, trying to tell myself I would be alright. Think ambious, think determined, think cunning, you'll be in Slytherin for sure, don't worry...

"Blackbourne, Alfred,"

I watched, feeling my heart sink, as the long haired brunette step out of line and sit down on the stool, with a clever smile on his lips as he pulled the hat onto his head. Alfie didn't seem the least bit of nervous, which made me just a bit jealous.

The hat had been placed on his head for maybe 10 seconds before shouting, "RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Alfie as he joined them, and Alfie shook their hands smiling confidently and throwing the rest of us first years a cunning smile, as if to say, _I knew it._

I sighed a little in relief that Alfie wouldn't be in my house, or at least I hoped not. I doubted I would be placed in Ravenclaw though. I was never really into learning. Sure I was excited about Potion and learning about magic but I was more excited about meeting the others witches and wizards like me and making friends. That and proving myself to my sister.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat, and I watched as Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

Terry Boot and Mandy Brocklehurst went to Ravenclaw as well, taking up seats next to Alfie and smiling happily.

"Brown, Lavender" McGonagall called out and I watched the girl walk up, put on the hat and wait a moment as the hat though.

"GRYFFIND-" I didn't get to hear the rest of what the hat said though because the table to the far left exploded with cheers drowning out the hat, although it had obviously said Gryffindor

"Bulstrode, Millicent"

The chubby girl from my sister's class became a Slytherin and I couldn't help be feel a bit jealous. I prayed to Merlin the hat would place me in the same house. The great hall felt like it was a thousand degrees and my stomach did flip flops.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

I turned pale, looking at Draco with wide eyes. I took his hand and squeezed to get his attention, he looked at me concerned, "What?"

"They're already at F names, I should have been called, my last name starts with a C! Did they skip the Cs?" I squeaked

Draco just squeezed my hand and put a finger to his lips to tell me to lower my voice, "If you're still standing up here by the end they'll just tell you to go, it's fine. Don't worry about it."

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat called and Justin went to sit down.

I calmed down a bit at Draco's reassurance, and continued to watch the hat sort kids, noticing after a bit that sometimes the hat shouted out the house at once, but with others it took a little while to decide. This made me worry a bit. How long would it take for the hat to sort me? I squeezed Draco's hand again.

"Draco," I whispered, "Should I worry if that hat takes awhile to sort me?"

"Well," Draco shrugged, watching as a boy named Seamus Finnigan got sorted, "I wouldn't say you should be worried, but father says there are these things called hatstalls. It's when the sorting hat takes longer than five minutes to sort you. It's rare though, it only happens every fifty years or so."

I gulped

The sorting hat finally called out "GRYFFINDOR" and Seamus sat down at his table.

"Granger, Hermione!" Professor McGonagall called.

I watched as the know-it-all girl I'd met in the bookstore practically ran up to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head. I nodded slightly glad to finally know her name so I could stop referring to her as the Know-it-all girl, because it felt kind of mean. She sat there for a good long while, and I thought for a moment she might actually become a hatstall, but the hat finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who's toad Hermione had been asking about, was called, the clumbsy boy fell over on his way to the stool. Draco snickered but I pitied the boy as his face turned red. I almost went to help him, but I stayed in line like everyone else.

The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."

When Malfoy was finally called I squeezed his hand one last time before letting him go. He swaggered forward and I prayed to Merlin he'd be placed in Slytherin. That we'd be there together. I didn't have to pray much though, because the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy grinned, throwing me a smile, before joining Crabbe and Goyle at the Slytherin table, looking pleased with himself. I smiled, with relief that he'd gotten into Slytherin. Now all I had to do was be placed there as well.

I was still concerned they wouldn't call my name since there weren't many people left. There were a couple of kids who were sorted into Hufflepuff before Pansy got sorted into Slytherin as well and took the seat next to Draco. I watched Draco frown and say something to her. Pansy then frowned and seemed to hiss something back to him before scooting over some. I blushed a little realizing Draco had been telling her that he was saving the seat for me.

There was a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil", then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and then, "Potter, Harry!"

I watched as Harry stepped forward, looking just as pale and sick as I imagined I did. Whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

I wanted to tell them not to get too excited since the kid wasn't as great as he seemed but I sighed and folded my arms, gazing at my feet. There was a long, long, pause as Harry sat with the hat pulled over his eyes.

Finally for what seemed like a long while the hat called out, "GRYFFINDOR!" and the Gryffindor table burst into the loudest cheer they'd done all night. And that was saying something. Harry hopped off the stool and ran over to join the others at the table who shook his hand in excitement. The red headed twins from the train were standing and shouting "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

Next there was "Thomas, Dean" who also got placed in Gryffindor and a girl named "Turnip, Lesa," got placed in Ravenclaw with Alfie and finally there was just Ron, Blaise and me to be sorted. I shifted uneasily.

McGonagall looked down at her list, "Waters, Charlotte."

It took me a second to realize she was talking about me, and I finally understood why she hadn't called me with the Cs. They had me listed under my adoptive parents' last name.

"Cartwright," I squeaked, walking up shakily, "Cartwright, Charlotte..."

McGonagall stared at me then back at her list, "Ah, yes there seems to be a mistake… Cartwright, Charlotte."

There was a whisper that spread over the crowd, just as it had done for Harry. I tried to block it out and focus on getting into Slytherin, but it was hard with had loudly they whispered.

"Charlotte Cartwright! Bethany's little sister."

"Her sister's a genius, I bet she'll be in Ravenclaw."

"I read all about her in the Daily Prophet!"

I sat down slowly on the wooden stool in front of me, taking a deep breath before pulling the hat on, over my head and I was plunged into darkness. I gulped and tried to calm myself.

 _Please Merlin,_ I begged, _I'll never ask you for anything ever again if you place me in Slytherin…_

 _Slytherin you say?_ I heard the hat's voice echoing in my head, the hat seemed to chuckle at me and I felt my heart drop into my stomach, _Slytherin's a fine house, girl, you have fine taste, but I'm afraid that wouldn't be the right house for you at all. No, what I see in your head tells me that you have the heart of a true Gryffindor._

 _Gryffindor!?_ I was shocked. I couldn't be in Gryffindor, I just couldn't Draco hated Gryffindor almost as much as he did Hufflepuff and what would I tell my sister?, _No no no! You don't understand! I need to be in Slytherin. You put my sister there, It's where I belong!_

 _Yes, I remember placing your sister,_ the hat mused, _she was cunning and determined to become a potions master. It was where Bethany belonged, no arguing that, but not you. Gryffindor is that house that will help you to greatness, It's all here in your head._

 _What could you possibly find in my head to make you think that I don't belong in Slytherin? I want this more than anything._

 _What do I see? Charlotte Cartwright I see everything, you're a brave girl, the heart of a lion, and so selfless. So much selflessness. Selflessness is a quality you'll find not many Slytherins possess. Slytherins will use any means to reach their goals, but you, you would throw away your entire life's work to help another, is that not correct?_

 _I don't care about that! There are other qualities Slytherins possess aren't there?_

 _Yes that's true,_ The hat said thinking it over, _You seem to possess their stubbornness, but that is the result of your strong will isn't it? Tell me why do you not wish to be in Gryffindor?_

 _Because,_ I thought, _Draco's in Slytherin, and I want to make my sister proud, and Draco says Gryffindor's a terrible house._

 _Loyalty to your friend is it? Another Gryffindor trait, fierce loyalty. I've seen inside young Draco Malfoy's head and I would be a fool to place him anywhere else but Slytherin, but I'm sorry to say you and your friend are not meant to share a house… In your head I find Bravery, loyalty, and selflessness, not cunning, determination and Ambition._

 _Please,_ I begged, _Please Please Please rethink this..! All I want is to be in Slytherin!_

But it was too late, before I was able to do anything the hat shouted out above the crowd, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Slowly, I pulled the sorting hat off my head looking over the crowd, expecting cheers of some sort but as I stared around the room, I realized everyone was staring at me in complete silence and shock. I looked at Professor McGonagall who looked just as shocked as everyone else. I gazed at everyone in confusion. Perhaps they realized the sorting hat had made a mistake as well?

Finally McGonagall shook her head and cleared her throat, "go take your seat Charlotte."

I felt sick to my stomach, as I marched over to the Gryffindor table, staring over at Draco in distress praying for his help, but Draco looked just as shocked as everyone else did.

The Gryffindors finally seemed to snap out of it and gave a half hearted round of cheers. One of the Prefects, Percy, slowly got up and introduced himself to me and shook my hand, I gulped.

I looked around, then back at the older boy, keeping my voice low, "Um, why is everyone staring at me like that?"

Percy looked uneasy, "It's um, complicated. It's just everyone was concerned. You were under there for a long time..."

I tilted my head in confusion, in had felt like mere second to me, it had all happened so fast, "A long time? How long was I?"

Percy looked around, "It's hard to say, but, I'd say...eight, maybe nine minutes...It usually takes the sorting hat less than five minutes to sort a kid… This is kind of unheard of… You must be the longest hat stall in Hogwarts history"

Hermione cut in as I sat down, "I believe you'd be right, The longest hatstall in Hogwarts history was a total of 7 and a half minutes. Charlotte took nine I think. That's nearly twice as long as usual..."

 _Right_ I thought, _That's because I had spent so much time arguing with the hat..._

I took my seat at the end of the table, next to Dean Thomas and started over toward the Slytherin table with longing where Draco sat fuming and seemingly yelling at Pansy over some remark she'd made, his face red. How could this happen? This had to be a mistake. Surely the hat had to be wrong about me.

The rest of the banquet went by in a flash, I hardly remembered most of it. Ron Weasley, was placed in Gryffindor and Blaise took the spot Draco had saved for me over at the Slytherin table. There was singing and announcements and food was served, but I was too upset to eat. I few times I noticed Harry look over in my direction, and Draco and mine's eyes locked over and over again all night. Finally catching Draco and Harry's eyes became too upsetting for me and I stared down at my reflection in my shiny gold plate.

Towards the end of the Banquet the subject of blood status came up. I was only half listening but I heard Seamus talking,

"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him."

The others laughed but I sighed. I wished I hadn't because just then Harry seemed to notice and looked over. I had been quiet the entire night and Harry seemed to decided to try and get me to talk.

"What about you Charlotte?" Harry asked, "What are you."

I wanted absolutely nothing to do with Harry Potter, he'd been a jerk to my friend and now I suppose he wanted me as a friend because I was famous like me and I was a Gryffindor. But that wasn't going to happen, not after what happened on the train. But after a moment I sighed, figuring that it would be just as rude of me to ignore him, so turned toward the others a gloomy look on my face.

"I'm a pureblood," I said, "My whole family's magic, but my parents died when I was little so I moved to America to be raised by Muggles."

"Oh," Harry said, his face falling. I sighed and looked back down at my empty plate. There was a small pause in the excitement of the conversation at this, but it only took them a moment to continue. I sighed, shaking my head. I stayed silent until I saw Harry turned to Percy.

Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" he asked.

"Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to. Everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

I tossed Percy a disapproving look, although I doubted he noticed. I didn't like his implication about Snape, the man who'd taught my sister everything she knew about potions, and very well could be my godfather, although that was still up in the air at the moment. Harry looked over at the teacher's table again, and I followed his gaze to where a teacher sat, with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow unhealthy looking skin.

Snape didn't turn my way once, but for a long while I watched him and tried to decide my opinion on the man. Would this be someone I liked? Maybe, I really had no way to tell. I didn't really have anything to go off of.

At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. An old man with a long silver beard and long blue robes, and half moon glasses. The hall fell silent.

"Ahern. Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you... First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well. I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors."

Dumbledore continued, "Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

I paled a little at that. A very painful death? If there was anything in the school that could hurt a student, shouldn't it, I don't know, not be in the school? I gulped, making a note to follow that rule…

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. I looked around at the other students and teacher who, seemed to be forcing a smile. I would have offered a real smile, since I loved music, but I was too unhappy, I just wanted dinner to be over so I could find Draco and tell him the sorting hat must have made some kind of mistake.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words. "Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

The whole hall burst into song at the same time, all except the majority of the first years, who were caught off guard:

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the two red headed twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march, making me smile just a little.

Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

I got up and tried to go off to find Draco but was stopped almost instantaneously as Percy bellowed, "Come on Gryffindor first years, follow me, don't want to get lost on your first day, keep up please"

I slumped with disappointment and followed the other Gryffindor first years through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. I watched with surprise as the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, and that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. We climbed a few more staircases, yawning and dragging our feet, until they came to a sudden halt.

A bundle of walking sticks floated midair ahead of them. Percy tried to step toward them, but as soon as he did, they started throwing themselves at him.

"Peeves," Percy whispered in annoyance, "A poltergeist."

He raised his voice, "Peeves - show yourself"

Peeves remained very much invisible. He made loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, in response.

"Do you want me to go get the Bloody Baron?" Percy asked, placing his hands on his hips. There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross-legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks. I jumped a little as He cackled evily

"Ickle Firsties! What fun!" I tilted my head. Ickle? Was that list the british equivalent to 'Wittle' or something? I didn't have time to ask, though, because he swooped suddenly at us. I squeaked and ducked, covering my head.

"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy.

Peeves stuck out his tongue at the Prefect and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. There was the distinct sound of Peeves zooming away, rattling coats of armor as he passed. I helped poor Neville to his feet.

"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as we started walking again, "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."

At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a large woman in a pink silk dress. I blinked tilting my head at her.

"Password?" she asked, looking down at Percy.

"Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. The others scrambled through it. I walked up to the woman in the pink dress and looked at her for a moment or two, transfixed. I'd never met a talking painting before... She stared back.

"Do you have a question, young first year?" She asked.

I shook my head, "No, but your dress is very pretty, though."

The woman in the painting seemed to blush and smile, "Why thank you, what a sweet thing you are."

"Charlotte!" I heard Percy call, and I frowned scampering off to join the other first years.

When I scampered through the hole in the wall, I looked around in amazement as I gazed around the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs and roaring fire in the fireplace. It was warm and well lit, and decorated in Gryffindor colors. Percy directed me and they girls into on doorway into the dormitory. I followed Hermione and the other girls up the spiral staircase of one of the towers. Finally they opened the door and found their beds.

Five four-posters hung, with deep red velvet curtains, stood along the wall of the circular room. Everyone's trunks had already been brought up, so I ventured over to the last bed on the right with my trunk laid at the foot of it.

Hermione Granger, took the bed to the left of me and Lavender Brown, Eloise Midgen, and Fay Dunbar took up the other three beds.

Silently I opened my chest and pulled out my red and white pajamas from the trunk and my pink and green paisley robe and changed, flopping into bed.

"This sucks," I mumbled into the pillow too quiet for the others to hear me. Everyone was too tired to talk except Hermione who kept asking the others what their favorite classes were and such. Finally lavender shut out the light to let Hermione know it was time to shut up. No more than eight seconds later I was out like a light, dreading what the next day might bring.


	9. Meeting the Potions Master (Part 2)

**Authors Note: Hello Hello, my beautiful people! I'm back after what seems like forever. Sorry it took me so long to update this time but I had a lot of things I wanted to fit into this chapter, which again, I know is a long one, but I hope you enjoy. If you read at the bottom, I continue this note and kind of talk about my writing process and how my mind works when writing a story and it's kinda like a behind the scenes look at my writing and how I come up with my ideas and stuff. I'm kind of thinking of making this behind the scenes look a regular thing, so every chapter would come with a little paragraph talking about my writing/thought process, so leave me a review telling me if you think this should be a regular thing or not. But besides that review and tell me what you think of the chapter! Enjoy!**

 **With love, Piper-Audrey**

CHAPTER NINE: MEETING THE POTIONS MASTER (PART 2)

The next day was full of whispers.

Most all of them were directed towards either me or Harry. It was to be expected, Bethany had warned me it might be the case, since she could barely leave her house without getting mobbed by fans. Only the Slytherin house didn't seem to be in awe of my presence since most of them came from high class families themselves who had made their way into Bethany's social circle. I had already met many of them so it wasn't as big of a deal to them. They didn't stare at me the way the other houses did. I appreciated that. They treated me like a friend, nothing more, nothing less.

But everyone else treated me just as they saw me: Famous.

I wasn't really sure how I felt about that. It was odd thinking of myself as famous when the only thing I'd ever been famous for before was my world famous chocolate chip cookies, as named by my mother, but this was a whole different kind of Famous. The only other person getting the same amount of attention as I was, was Harry.

Well I say the same amount, and while this is mostly true, the types of attention we were getting were two completely different things. My fame was much different than his. My fame was like that of a celebrity. Like someone who's face you'd seen plastered everywhere in magazines and billboards. Part of it was because of who my sister was. Which was apparently a bigger deal than I thought because until I came to Hogwarts, I don't think I'd realized just how famous my sister was.

Sure I knew my sister had lot and lots of fans and people knew her, but her accomplishments spoken way louder than any crowd of fans. My sister was still in her early twenties but she'd already developed over a hundred new potions, all much more powerful than the lie detector potion she'd used on me. Her potions and research were still being used by the ministry to run the wizarding world and stop disasters all over the world. When she was 20 she'd been offered a high ranking position in the ministry of magic as Senior Undersecretary but she'd turned the job down to teach young witches and wizards in her shop. She'd graduated top of her class at hogwarts and worked with invented her first and most famous potion at the age of 18. Bethany was like the Stephen Hawking of the wizarding world.

The other part of my fame came from my so called, "Mysterious past." My nine year long disappearance had turned more than a few heads my way. The newspapers who'd interviewed me had all wanted to know where I went and why. When they asked I'd told them the truth. I'd been sent into foster care in America until I was adopted by an american family. However, the "why" part was harder. I had no idea why I'd been sent to america. Whenever I had asked Bethany about it, she'd clam up. All she would say was that our situation after our parents died had been complicated. I hadn't questioned it. So really my past was a mystery to me as well. Either way, it yielded the same result: me becoming the school's mysterious little celebrity.

But, Harry's famous was a whole different of famous. I'm not going to lie: Harry was more famous than me, but being the only other wizard Harry's age, who was so widely known, I wasn't very far behind. But besides that, Harry's famous was just a different kind of famous. If I was a celebrity, Harry was a legend. He'd survived the killing curse and defeated the dark lord as a baby, and as much as I disliked him, Harry's feats were impressive, and people just simply didn't see him and I in the same light. Not that I minded. Seeing the way people treated Harry, it seemed ten times worse than what I had to deal with.

Still, I tried not to waste my pity on him since I seriously doubted he needed it. With how he'd acted on the train, my bet would be that Harry simply ate up that kind of attention. Me? I just wanted to make some friends and have fun at school. I mean, that was the whole reason I'd wanted to come to Hogwarts so badly, wasn't it? And it was exactly what made the next day of classes so awkward and nerve wracking.

The whispers started the moment I left the Gryffindor dorms that morning and didn't stop all day.

"See? See, that's her, the blonde one."

"The one with all the freckles, do you see her?"

"There, look."

"Here she comes, shh!"

"I have class with her."

"Did you get a good look at her just now?"

People were lining up outside classrooms and standing on tiptoe to get a look a good look at me, or doubled back to pass me in the corridors again, staring with wide eyes. I cringed every time I noticed this. Everyone was staring, yet not trying to talk to me. I didn't want to be famous if that meant people were too intimidated to talk to me. I wanted to tell them it was okay to approach me but I was too nervous. It really was frustrating though. I had not spent my entire life not having friend because I was a loser only to spend the rest of it not having friends because I was famous.

But all that aside, school was interesting. Day after day I started to find out just how right my sister was when it came to just about everything about hogwarts. Her lessons really did come in handy when it came to surviving school. Without the map she'd given me, I doubt I would have made it to half of my classes.

I watched a number of students have trouble with trick doors and disappearing stairs. I had already learned all these tricks weeks before school started so I was already navigating the Hogwarts halls like a pro three days into the school year.

The only thing I had to worry about navigating the halls, was the Hogwarts caretaker, Argus Filch. I didn't think I had done anything to the man specifically but he seemed to hate me. Although I had a pretty good feeling he felt that way about all the students. I took personal offense in Filch's ownership of tabby cat called Mrs. Norris. She patrolled the corridors as well and if you broke a rule in front of her she'd whisk off for to get Filch. I did not like this, mostly because I loved cats, and it was as if Filch was using this lovable creature for his evil needs.

Needless to say I had my eye on that guy.

But once I found my way to my classes I found that Filch was out of my mind. I mean, who had time to worry about some grumpy caretaker when you had a million kinds of magic to study? Not me. The number one lesson Bethany had taught me was to pay attention during my lessons and strive to become the best witch I could be.

She was always pressing that.

"Study hard. Become the best witch you can be."

It seemed like a lot to ask of one girl though because there was a lot more to magic than waving your wand and saying a few funny words. There were just so many different kinds of magic. There were days that they had to study the night skies through their telescopes and others where they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with Professor Sprout.

I was pretty much the only person in the school who didn't mind History of Magic, which was the taught by a ghost by the name of Professor Binns. The only reason I didn't mind was because Professor Binns had praised my sister the first day of class, saying that it was his great honor as a teacher to not only have taught Bethany but her sister, since surely one day he'd be teaching future students about my sister and the mark she made on history. I laughed nervously and shrank down in my seat to avoid the stares of my peers but in all honesty the remark had been very endearing and heartfelt to me.

Then there was charms class which Professor Flitwick taught and Professor McGonagall taught us transfiguration. Both classes were interesting and I liked them fine but it was clear my classmates were more excited about the classes than I was.

The other class I didn't share my classmate's excitement for was Defense Against the Dark Arts. I really didn't understand the appeal. Why anyone would want to know anything having to do with the Dark arts was beyond me. I understood the fact that it was for our own protection but still, I found it all rather creepy.

Everyone was rather disappointed when Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke. But as much as I disliked Quirrell's class, the professor seemed to decide I was his favorite student. I had no idea why though, I supposed it was because I was quiet, and with how jumpy Quirrell was I think I made him the least nervous. He always made sure I had the proper notes and gave me extra help when needed. I asked him why once but he just laughed nervously saying he wanted to see me as engaged in class as the other students. That he wanted to succeed in his class. It was then I decided that Quirrell was a pretty good teacher, after all, that was a pretty good quality in a teacher, wasn't it? Wanting to see your students succeed.

Friday was a very exciting day for me. I was up hours before everyone else in excitement. When I started to hear my roommates wake for breakfast I jumped out of bed, threw on my robes and made my way down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

I walked into the great hall and passed the Gryffindor table swiftly, walking across the hall and taking a seat between Pansy and Draco at the Slytherin table.

I had gotten a few odd looks for this maneuver the first few times I'd done it. It was all anyone could talk about for a few days but after a bit no one seemed to care about the lone Gryffindor sitting at the Slytherin table anymore. Well everyone except the Gryffindors. I'm pretty sure this move was what had lost most of their favor. Now most of the Gryffindors were either to nervous to talk to me because I was famous or they wanted nothing to do with me because I was friends with the Slytherins. Which I found to be more than a bit distasteful, to judge someone based on their house or what house their friends were in.

However I had my friends in Slytherin so I supposed it was fine if I wasn't exactly best friends with everyone in my house. And from my experience they weren't exactly my crowd. So I preferred the Slytherin table, especially since I stood by my conclusion that the sorting hat had made a huge mistake with me. And I wasn't the only one who thought so.

After the sorting hat ceremony I had been terrified that Draco would stop being my friend because of my house. The morning after the ceremony I had tried to beg him to stay my friend, but as it turned out, I didn't have to. I was surprised and thrilled that, unlike my housemates, Draco didn't even seem to care. Which just added to the list of things I admired about him. Draco and I had made an agreement that day. We simply agreed that we didn't care what some stupid old hat said, I was not in Gryffindor. We agreed that I was to be considered an honorary Slytherin.

Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom were the few Gryffindors who actually talked to me and I actually didn't mind talking to, and they were sceptical about this right off the bat. In fact, the very next morning I told the two boys about it while walking to Herbology and they immediately had something to say about it.

"See?" I was saying, "Draco can be a good person! He doesn't even care what house I'm in, he's friends with me because of who I am."

"Yeah," Ron grumbled, rolling his eyes "You got that part right."

I furrowed my brow at him, sensing the underlying meaning in his response, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means exactly what it sounds like it means," Ron said, shrugging, "Malfoy likes you for who you are: a famous pure-blood witch. Come on, Charlotte, the only reason he's friends with you is because it makes him look good. It doesn't have anything to do with your personality."

I felt my face turn red, "You're wrong."

Ron turned to Neville who was looking a bit concerned at the sudden turn in the situation, "I bet Malfoy's precious father even approves."

I grumbled under my breath, refusing to believe Ron was right, and stormed off to the greenhouse. Ron was one of the only Gryffindors I considered a friend, but sometimes he just rubbed me the wrong way. I supposed it was what having an annoying brother might feel like. I tried my best to look past his dumb comments though and let it slide.

I snapped out of thought when Draco snapped his fingers in my face, looking annoyed, "Lottie? Did you hear a word I just said?"

"Sorry, Draco" I squeaked, "what was that?"

"I asked," Draco said, "If you were excited for class today?"

I squealed a little at the thought. Right, Class today, I could barely contain my excitement. Not only was it already my favorite class, but I finally got to meet the elusive Professor Snape. There was so much I wanted to know concerning the dark potions teacher. Mainly I wanted to know once and for all if the man was actually my godfather or not. I wanted to know if he really was friends with my parents or not and I wanted to know everything he could possibly teach me about potions. And all that was about to happen in just a few minutes. And to top it all off, it was my only class which was doubled with the Slytherins.

Pansy grinned as well, "Yeah, and Snape's Head of Slytherin House, so he always favors us. But he also taught Bethany all about potions, so he'll definitely favor you too, Charlotte. It will be just like you really are a Slytherin."

I grinned. Over the first week of school, I'd learned that Pansy really wasn't half bad. She was actually an okay person if you got past her sharper edges. She'd even given me her green and silver Slytherin headband so I could be identified myself as a honorary Slytherin. It clashed horribly with my red and gold tie but I wore it with pride.

* * *

At the start-of-term banquet, Snape hadn't even glanced my way but during Potions class I got Professor Snape's attention immediately, although I wasn't completely sure I liked how I had gotten it. Which was, if fact, at Harry's expense.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder there than up in the main castle, and although I heard a couple Gryffindors around me complaining about how creepy it was, but I couldn't think of a single place I liked better in the entire castle. It reminded me of Bethany's shop in London, and I immediately felt at home.

Snape started the class by taking the roll call. Since I had gotten the whole name situation taken care of, my name was third on the list, right after Lavender Brown, and Millicent Bulstrode. He read my name slowly, pausing for a moment, seemingly reading the name again, his eyes wandering upwards to the seat I had taken next to Neville, right across the aisle from Draco, since it was the closest I could sit to him, being a Gryffindor. Snape's eyes lingered on me for a long moment before speaking, his cold expression making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.

"Ah," he said softly, "The littler Cartwright sister. For once I am actually pleased to say I had your older sibling in my class. Let's hope, for the sake of your grade, you possess the same talented genes she does."

I was frozen for a moment before nodding my head, noticing the slow and judgmental looks I was getting from the other Gryffindors. I tried to ignore them, but as the lesson drew on this task proved more and more difficult. I tried to distract myself by glancing over at Draco as snape went back to calling names. Draco locked eyes with me, noticing my slight distress and raised an eyebrow. My eyes darted back to my housemates with a slight nod of the head, pointing out the strange looks I was getting to Draco. He looked past me at the other Gryffindors, shotting them all a glare, as if asking what their problem was, before turning back to me with a shrug.

I looked back up again as Snape's called Harry's name, pausing once again, but this time with distaste. He wasted no time fixing Harry with a cold glare.

"Ah, Yes," he said, "Harry Potter. The Gryffindor house's other... celebrity."

Draco snickered behind his hand, causing Crabbe and Goyle to copy him in response a second later. I tossed my three guy friends a look like, _come on guys, seriously?_ although they didn't seem to notice. I rolled my eyes, supposing boys would be boys.

Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class, scanning the room, although what his opinion was on us was anyone's guess. His eyes remained the same, cold and empty and so black that they reminded me of dark tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but I hung on every word, there was nothing I wanted to do more than impress my sister's old teacher, perhaps then he would teach me the same way he had bethany, and I would become a great potions master like her. I wanted nothing more than to prove myself to him, "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper in death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

I was mesmerized by Snape's speech. He didn't expect us to understand the beauty of a softly simmering cauldron, but what he didn't seem to understand was, I already did. There was nothing more beautiful in the world to me. Potions had been my gateway into magic. It had been what brought me to my sister, and what proved we were family, and what connected Bethany and I further, as not just sisters but friends as well. And if there was one thing Bethany had taught me, it was the beauty of potion making.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry looked utterly confused, making it obvious he did not know the answer. I felt a twinge of pity for the boy as he sank down in his seat. I wished Snape would have called, on me, since already knew the answer. And apparently so did Hermione, since her hand shot into the air like a rocket ship.

"I don't know, sir," said Harry.

Snape's lips curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut, Potter, fame can overshadow intelligence, but surely there are some wizards in the world who haven't let it spoil their brains, perhaps Cartwright can prove me right on that?"

He ignored Hermione's hand and looked past her and at me.

"Miss Cartwright, same question. What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"Adding asphodel to an infusion of wormwood would result in the creation of the Draught of Living Death. It earned that name because it's one of the world's most powerful sleeping poti-..." I started out strong, hungry to prove my knowledge, but slowly got quieter and trailed off as I noticed the looks I was getting from all the other Gryffindors, none of them seeming to happy with the fact that I was showing up their beloved Harry Potter. I shrank down it my seat. I looked over at Draco who, was beaming at me, as if he couldn't be prouder, holding back laughs at Harry's distress.

"Refreshing to see some students study their textbooks before the start of the term, isn't it, Potter?" Snape sneered, "Let's try this again, now, shall we? where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat. Again Harry obviously didn't have the faintest idea what a bezoar even was.

"I don't know, sir." Harry said again.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Snape said, "Miss Cartwright?"

There was another painful round of glares shot my way from the Gryffindors, as if it were my fault that I knew the answer and Harry didn't. They seemed to be warning me not to answer but with Snape staring at me so expectantly I knew it wasn't an option. I practically whispered the answer, " A bezoar is a type of stone that will neutralize most poisons, The only way to obtain the stone is to take one from the stomach of a goat..."

"Correct again miss Cartwright," Snape smiled in my direction, my spine tingled and it felt as though it were on fire, Snape turned back to Harry, "What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling, although I wanted to tell her to give it a rest. Everyone already knew how this would play out.

"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"

A few people laughed, Snape, however, was not pleased.

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione, before turning my way once more with a harsh expression on his face, "Miss Cartwright, the correct answer, please?"

By this time, I was stuttering out the answer as badly as Professor Quirrell, actually beginning to fear the severity the glares I was getting from the other Gryffindors, "M-monkshood and w-wolfsbane are both nicknames f-for the same plant, b-b-by the name of aconite…"

Snape nodded shortly and turned to the rest of the class with a harsh glare, and hissed, "Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment, and I shakily grabbed my paper and quill as well, copying down the notes I'd provided. Over the noise, I could hear Snape saying, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

Since I didn't care much for things like points or house cups, I didn't care too much that Harry had lost our house a point, especially since I didn't consider Gryffindor my real house at all, but I could tell from the nasty looks on everyone else's faces that they did care, very much so. And I could tell they blamed me…

After we were done taking down our notes, Snape put us into pairs and sent us off to mix a simple potion to cure boils. I was originally paired with Neville, but Snape did a quick sweep of the room and immediately decided this would not do, that I Should be paired with someone at the same skill level as me. To my great appreciation, he decided to pair up the two best potionmakers in the class, me and Draco. I crossed to the Slytherin side of the room and set down my stuff next to Draco, making me feel a sudden rush of relief to get away from the Gryffindors, who were still staring daggers at me, but from the other side of Draco, who I knew would defend me if need be, I felt much less afraid.

Snape swept around in his long black cloak, watching us weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing everyone, except Draco and I, us being the only students whom he seemed to like. I crossed the room to grab Draco the horned slugs from the cabinet when I noticed Neville with his chubby hand hovering above Seamus' Cauldron, filled with Porcupine quill. Immediately I forgot the horned slugs and grabbed Neville's hand, pulling it away from the cauldron.

"No, no, no, no, no!" I said, and Neville looked up at me, his eyes big with surprise, I sighed with relief. I'd stopped the disaster, "You can't add the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire. You could get seriously hurt... Here add the nettles first, then take the cauldron off the fire, let it cool while you crush the dragon's fang, then add the quills and you should be all set."

Neville and Seamus both stared at me for so long, I began to wonder if I'd done something wrong and my smile lost it's luster, but Neville finally eased my worries, setting down the quills, exhaling slowly, "Gee," he breathed, "Thanks Charlotte."

"Lottie!" Draco called from across the room, hands on his hips, "Horned slugs, come on, we're almost done."

"Right." I called back, giving Neville and Seamus one last half smile before returning to my seat with the ingredients I had gone to get.

* * *

An hour later, and potions class was over. I was more that a little disappointed it when class was dismissed and students started flooding out of the potions classroom. It had started off a bit rocky but by the end class things had gotten pretty interesting. Snape had even mentioned what a great team Draco and I made. We were both hoping that meant he'd pair us up again in the future, despite our being in different houses.

Class finished and I waited for Draco to finish his conversation with the other Slytherins so we could head to the library together after class, like we'd planned. I watched as the other Gryffindors slinked out of the class in a hurry, surely wishing to be anywhere else but the dungeon.

I shook my head and gazed down at feet. I supposed I could use this time waiting for Draco to ask Snape a few of my question but before I could even begin to think of saying anything there was a voice behind me that had me so startled I nearly jumped out of my skin.

Harry Freakin' Potter grinned at me with that sweet smile of his, the one that had made me so sure he was just nice boy the day we'd met on the Platform. Not it just put a sour taste in my mouth…

"Hey Charlotte," He said, "What are you waiting for?"

I fixed him with a sour look. He'd been at this for days. No matter how many times I'd pushed him away, he came back for more. He seemed to really want to be my friend,no doubt the only reason being my fame. But I'd had enough of people befriending me based solely on my fame, so it wasn't happening.

I frowned folding my arms, "I'm waiting for _Malfoy_ " I replied, slightly mocking the way he called Draco by his last name, which I seriously didn't get. The only reason I called Harry 'Potter' around Draco is because more often than not when I called him 'harry' Draco's response was "Who? ...Oh right, Potter...".

"Why?" Harry looked at me as though I had just said, I was waiting to be shot in the head, "I mean, I've been meaning to ask you this since we met on the train but, why do you always hang around that creep?"

"Why?" My eyes shooting sparks at him in anger. How dare he call my friend a creep? I wanted to smack him upside the head or something but I forced myself to stay calm, "because, some of us don't get to pick and choose our friends like you do, Harry. some of us are grateful for the people who want to be our friends. And that _creep_ just so happens to be my _best_ friend."

"Oh, um, I'm sorry..." Harry said, not looking very sorry at all, with his nose crinkled in confusion and dismay but he didn't press the subject. Instead he was smart enough to try and change it, "Uh anyway, I saw what you did for Neville. I just wanted to say that I thought that was nice of you."  
"Yeah? Then why didn't you do it?" I heard a voice ask. It was Draco, who had wandered up behind Harry causing him to jump in surprise "Hoping his failure would make you look even better in comparison? Guess the sorting hat really did get things wrong this year. We have a Slytherin and a coward in Gryffindor."

"Hey!" Harry started, but I cut them off before a fight could break out

"Whatever just leave it Draco, we were going to the library?" I said taking his arm and linking it with mine, I shook my head looking at Harry a frown on my face, "It's not worth fighting about"

Both boys looked like they still had a few things to say to each other, but Hermione interrupted them.

"Harry, Ron wants you," she said, poking her head into the room again, "something about finally turning a rat yellow?"

There was a call from outside the room, "I swear I did! He got a shade lighter, you see?"

Harry gave Draco and I one last long look before walking off, shaking his head.

"Did you see his face?" Draco laughed, "famous Harry Potter, the boy who lived, with a face the color of a tomato"

I tried not to laugh at Draco's teasing but a small smile pulling at the corners of my lips despite myself. I couldn't help it, all laughs were contagious to me and I liked Draco's the best and admittedly Harry's glowing red face had been pretty funny. I elbowed Draco gently and fought back a laugh, "you really need to stop picking fights."

"Yeah? I'll do that when Potter stops being a prick," Draco retorted, "Anyway, We should get going to the library before it's dinner time."

There was barely anyone left in the room when Draco and I turned to exit the room. All that was left was Crabbe and Goyle who pushed each other and made a ruckus as they exited the room followed by Blaise and Theo who followed slowly, each rolling their eyes at the other boys. We were about to catch up with them but we were once again stopped when I heard a voice behind me. This time it was Snape.

"Miss Cartwright" He drawled, his black eyes staring down at me coldly, "A moment?"  
I let go of Draco's arm and nodded at him to go on without me. Draco looked reluctant but turned away towards the door. I turned towards Snape's desk and walked over hearing the door close behind me. Snape and I were left alone in the potions room.

"Yes professor?" I asked quietly.

"Miss Cartwright," Snape said slowly, "You're aware that I taught your sister, Miss Bethany Cartwright, correct?"

I nodded.

"Your sister is a very talented witch," Snape continued, "Very clever as well, that's why she did so well in Slytherin. But perhaps the most clever move she ever made was putting her talent and focus towards her potions studies."

I nodded again, not really sure what he wanted me to say.

"Do you know where your sister got that talent, Miss Cartwright?"

I shook my head, "No, sir."

"It was your Mother," the Professor replied, "Her and I went to school together, did your sister tell you that?"

"She told me that… Bethany told me a lot about you...She spoke very highly of you... She said you and our parents were friends. Is that true..?"

There was a long silence.

"That is true," said the professor darkly after a long time, he stood up slowly and looked about the room as if pondering the memory, "It was your father I met first, it was my first year of school and he was the first in our class to be placed in Slytherin. In his youth, he was perhaps one of the least honorably man I've men I'd ever met."

I swallowed a little, unsure how I felt about that…

"And yet I still choose to get involved with the likes of him," Snape continued, "If it weren't for the man your father turned into, I'd say it was the most foolish decision of my young life. By the time he died he'd gone from the worst to one of the best men I'd ever known."

I felt my skin prickly a little with what I could only presume was pride. I had never heard anyone speak of my parents before, and much less kindly. And based on that day's lesson I certainly didn't expect it from Snape.

I stared at Snape who glance down at me, his expression still cold. He shifted a little before continuing, "Although I'd have to say it was your mother I was closer to. She was kind and good and very clever. When I met your sister I thought for sure I was meeting your mother all over again. I presume my ending up in their will was her doing."

"So it's true then?" I guessed, fidgeting looking down at my feet, "That my mother named you me and Bethany's godfather?"

"That much is true, yes" Snape frowned.

I frowned, "Then when my parents died, we should have gone with you. Then why didn't that happen? Why did I go to America? Why was my sister send to a different family?"

My mind burned for answers.

"The mind seeks knowledge, Miss Cartwright," Snape said softly, "Even if it will do everything in its power reject the answers it's given. All I can tell you is that circumstance overshadowed your parents wishes. Headmaster Dumbledore placed you and your sister in the care he viewed as best for you. What you and your sister needed at the time was to forget."

I swallowed and nodded quietly, feeling a little deflated.

"However," Snape said, "I will tell you the same thing I told your sister on her first day of class: I may not have been able to be a part of you or your sister's lives the way your mother wanted, however, I did give her my word to watch you, so if you are in need of something while you're here, you may feel free to ask."

I felt a small prick in my heart, "Thank you sir..."

"However," Snape added, his eyes narrowing, "You may not feel free to mention this to your classmates. Nor may you feel free to bother me with every other problem you come across. And do not take this to mean I will accept anything less than your best in my, or any of your other classes. I gave your sister opportunity but only because she proved herself worthy of it, I expect the same from you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," I squeaked, shyly, although I was still pretty excited. Snape really wasn't as bad as everyone warned me he'd be. I only wished I could show the others how wrong they'd been about him. He was actually a pretty good teacher. Assuming we were done, and turned towards the door, only to be stopped once more.

"And Miss Cartwright?" Snape said, staring at me, I turned toward him once more, "Your friend, Malfoy."

I blinked unsure, "Yes professor? What about him?"

"I will tell you this now," He said grimly, "Opposing houses, such as yours and Malfoy's do not do kind things to friendship, no matter how strong."

"I don't know what mean, sir," I said, frowning, although I could already guess the meaning, and did not like it one bit.

"I mean, Miss Cartwright, do not be surprised if you find that your friendship with the young slytherin is becomes more and more problematic. If it becomes strained," Said snape, slightly leaning over his desk, "And then, broken."

I was quiet for a long time letting that sink in.

"I knew a pair like you a long time ago," Snape aid quietly, "A kind-hearted Gryffindor like yourself, and a censorious and misguided Slytherin like your friend. I don't think it unlikely if you were to wake up and find that young Malfoy wasn't the person you thought he was."

I wasn't really sure what Snape was trying to tell me, but I did know one thing: Draco was my best friend, just as I had told Harry, and I doubted anything could change that. Sure, he might not be prince charming, but he made me happy.

I simply gave Professor Snape a smile, "Thank you Professor Snape, but that's not going to be me and Draco. I know who Draco is and I like him anyway."

* * *

When I exited the Potions classroom I was surprised to find Draco had waited for me. I walked over and walked beside him, back up to the main part of the castle, I smiled a little at him, "I thought I told you to go on ahead."

Draco shrugged, "Yeah well, I don't really like going places alone and the others are all boring and they never shut up."

"Ah," I grinned, taking this to be Draco's way of saying he preferred to hang out with me. I giggled and linked my arm with Draco's.

"So, what did Snape want?" Draco asked, boredly.

"Oh, nothing," I shrugged, remembering what Snape had told me about not telling my classmates what he'd told me, "He just wanted to know how my sister was doing."

"Oh." Draco said, sounding uninterested, but quickly lite up as he pointed over my shoulder, his blue-gray eyes shining "Lottie, Look, it's Potter and Weasley."

Sure enough I spun around to see Harry and Ron making their way across the grounds. I could only hear part of their conversation but from the sounds of it they were talking about the point Harry had lost Gryffindor and how Snape had compared Harry and me.

"Come on, let's follow them" Draco said, unlinking our arms and grabbing my hand instead dragging me along with him, as he jogged to the corner of the building to watch them as they made their way down to a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest.

"Why?" I whispered, although I was already crotching to peer around the corner as well, "Come on Draco this is an invasion of privacy. They're probably just going to go see Hagrid. Can't we just leave them alone?"

"Okay," Said Draco, "But what if they aren't? What if they're doing something they're not supposed to? Something dangerous."

"Like what?" I asked, skeptical.

"like…" Draco thought for a moment, looking at the hut, "Like... go into the forbidden forest."

He gestured to the forest. I tilted my head at him and raised an eyebrow as if to ask, _Seriously Draco? Seriously_? Draco rolled his eyes at me.

"Fine, stay here then!" He said, looking to see that Harry and Ron had gone inside the hut before following them over to the hut, crotched down low. I threw my hands into the air in annoyance and sighed, following Draco.

A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door. I squeaked at the sound of booming barks from inside and hide behind a clay pot by the window with Draco. We poked our heads up to gaze through the window

"This is Ron," Harry was telling Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.

"See? I told you they were just going to go see Hagrid," I hissed at Draco.

"Shhh!" Draco hissed back.

"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. I spent half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."

I remembered the red headed twins I'd met on the train, and who'd sang the school song as a funeral march, and giggled a bit. Ron had introduced them to me as his twin brothers awhile ago. They were funny guys, the type you couldn't help but think fondly of, even if they were troublemakers.

The rock cakes Hagrid had served the two boys were shapeless lumps with raisins that looked about as appetizing as owl pellets but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first lessons. An enormous dog rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes.

I was surprised to find that as Harry told about his first few days of classes he sounded less and less like the pompous self-absorbed boy I met on the train, and more and more like the sweet boy I'd met on the platform. I wondered why that was...

Eventually Draco ducked down from the window with a huff and folded his arms, he turned to me and whispered in a whiney voice, "This is boring, let's get out of here..."

"You're the one who wanted to follow them in the first place," I whispered back, "I'm interested now! You go on, I'll follow in a bit."

Draco looked at me in annoyance and like he wanted to argue but finally huffed out a, "Fine." before wandering off.

I turned back to the window, now alone, and laughed a little to myself to see how delighted Harry and Ron were to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her - Filch puts her up to it."

I nodded in agreement. Just like every other student at Hogwarts, I couldn't stand Filch. I liked the way Hagrid talked about it though, in that jolly tone and strange, but delightful accent he had just made me think of all things friendly and warm. It made me wonder how Draco's father could possibly have told Draco anything bad about him.

Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson, and I was even more surprised to find that not once did Harry have one bad thing to say about me. Not when talking about the beginning of class when Snape had used me to make him look bad. Not when Snape had paired me up with Draco. Not even at the end of class when I told him off for calling Draco a creep.

Hagrid just sort of shrugged at the story and told Harry not to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students. Hagrid simply said that the only reason Snape favored me was because he had my sister.

 _Yeah_ , I thought, frowning, _That and I'm his goddaughter._

"But he seemed to really hate me." Harry frowned as well.

"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"

There was a slight pause and I couldn't help but wonder as well. Why was it that Snape seemed to really hate Harry, because if I was being completely honest, Snape seemed to hate Harry more than he did anyone else. Hagrid cleared his throat and turned to ron.

"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked, "I liked him a lot - great with animals."

Obviously Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose, and it was just as well by me since I didn't necessarily want to listen in on Harry Potter and his friends talk trash about my godfather. Ron began to tell Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons but my eyes landed on Harry who'd picked a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. A cutting from the Daily Prophet It was small but I could still hear the printed text of the wizard newspaper:

 _GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST_

 _Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown._

 _Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day._

 _"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokes-goblin this afternoon._

I paused, that had been the same day that Alfie had taken me to Gringotts! I was relieved to have missed such an event like a breakin at gringotts. I wondered what happened. I jumped as Harry called out making Hagrid and Ron's eyes turn in me and Harry's direction. I ducked to stay out of view.

"Hagrid!" said Harry, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might've been happening while we were there!"

I blinked suddenly conjuring up a memory I had all but forgotten. I had caught a glimpse of a boy with wild black hair which he brushed out of his eyes, giving me a look at the lightning scar on his forehead. I remembered the strange case of deja vu I felt in that moment. I knew now the boy had been Harry (In fact I still remembered Alfie hitting me in the stomach in excitement shouting "Bloody Hell! That's Harry Frickin' Potter"). But I also remembered thinking that I'd seen that scar before… That I'd seen that kid before. But where on earth would I have seen Harry before?

I shook my head, determined to find out more, poking my head back up to peer through the window. Hagrid was refusing to meet Harry's eyes and instead grunted and offered him another rock cake. Harry turned back to the story and read on. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier that same day. I squinted in suspicion. Could the vault that had been broken into be the same vault I'd seen Harry and Hagrid at that day? And if so, what was is that Harry and Hagrid that the thieves had been looking for?

The conversation drifted off from there so, with my head swimming, I wandered back to the castle for dinner. By dinnertime my head was too full of questions to eat. I sat next to Draco and let Pansy french braid my blond curls as the other boys filled their plates with mountain of foods, but for the second time that week my plate remained empty as I pondered the things I'd heard at Hagrid's hut. I may have gotten answers from Snape that morning but now, thanks to Harry, I'd been going to be with a million more, like: Had Harry and Hagrid collected that package just in time? If so, why? Did they know someone would try and steal it? How did they know that? Why would someone want to steal it? How did anyone get in there to steal it anyway? Wasn't Gringotts impossible to break into? What was it that they tried to steal? And where was it now?

 **Okay! So it's time for my kind of behind the scenes look at the making of this fanfiction and there were quiet a few things that I had to think a lot about for this chapter, and I think that's why it took me so long to post this. First off, It took me a couple tried to get Charlotte's first class with Snape right because for my original idea for this story I kind of wanted Charlotte to be the only one who really believed Snape was innocent when the others believed Snape was the one trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone. But in order for that to happen I really wanted Charlotte to be one of the only students who really likes Snape and Snape really likes. But in this scene we have this beginning part where Harry is sort of getting bashed by Snape and unless your like Draco and his friend, who think this is funny, which Charlotte really isn't, you'd most likely few this as kind of off-putting and outrageous of a teacher to do to a student so I really wanted to write it in a way where Charlotte is so distracted by her classmates' reactions and them blaming her for this, that she kind of doesn't notice, or overlooks Snape's actions.**

 **Then there were a couple of problems I faced with trying to get characters to do one thing but not making them seem OOC. Like with Draco, I really wanted to convey the fact that Draco is still friends with Charlotte after the sorting hat put her in Gryffindor. I know that at first glance you would think it's more logical that Draco start being rude to Charlotte when they got put in different houses but I think that isn't necessarily true. I mean, with Draco it's all about reputation and with Charlotte being a pureblood witch with a famous sister, who the public seems to love, being Charlotte's best friend would look great for Draco. The only thing Draco views as more important than that reputation is his whole shtick about being better than everyone else, which is the only reason why he hates Harry. I mean, Draco knows being friends with Harry would make him look frickin' great, which is why he tried to make friends with Harry at first, but because Harry tells Draco off and clearly doesn't think Draco's better than anyone, Draco hates him. However Charlotte constantly feeds Draco's ego. Charlotte makes Draco feel like he's better than everyone else and she looks great for his reputation and beyond that she's a pure-blood so his parents probably approve so I doubt a house would stop Draco from being her friend. Besides that I doubt Draco Malfoy puts too much stalk into what a hat has to say and truly believes Charlotte's actually a Slytherin.**

 **So with this all in mind I kind of think Draco would still be Charlotte's friend, and I have this whole reasoning, but I know Draco would never come out and say that to her, but I needed a way to explain it to my readers so it doesn't just seem OOC. So that's where I came up with the idea of kind of having Ron be the one to kind of be like "wake up call Charlotte, It's not about your personality, It's about your status in society." And Charlotte kind of not wanting to believe him. (I also kinda like the idea of Charlotte and Ron being friends because I don't know if anyone else has noticed but Ron's literally the only one in the golden trio who hasn't made a terrible first impression on Charlotte by accidentally insulting her.)**

 **The other time I ran into this problem with with Snape and him kind of wanting to make good on his promise to Charlotte mother to take care of her and her sister. In this AU Charlotte's mom and dad were part of the bully group in Slytherin that Snape became friends with. I kind of have this idea that Charlotte's mom fancied Snape but Snape was in love with Lily so she married Charlotte's dad and that's why he'd her godfather. I kind of wanted Snape to kind of tell Charlotte that he was there if she needed anything but in a none OOC way. I don't know how well I did on that, but I imagine Snape would be a little soft on Charlotte because in his mind Charlotte kind of reminds him of Lily and Draco of himself, as he kind of mentioned when telling Charlotte that he once knew of a Gryffindor and Slytherin, like Charlotte and Draco, who were torn apart by their houses. When he said that he was referring to himself and Lily, for anyone who might not have picked up on that.**

 **Anyway that's it for my behind the scenes look, and I hope to see you all next time. Please review even if it's just to tell me that you liked the story and such, and thank you all for reading!**


	10. Perhaps the World's Worst Flying Lesson

CHAPTER TEN: PERHAPS THE WORLD'S WORST FLYING LESSON

After Harry and Draco's confrontation at the end of potions class the first week of school, Harry did his best to avoid Draco. This was just as well since I didn't really want Harry anywhere near Draco anyway. The only problem was, Harry made absolutely no effort to avoid me. In fact, if anything Harry tried even harder to try and get on my good side.

It might have worked too, because after I'd spent the afternoon spying on Harry, Ron and Hagrid I thought: _Maybe I was too quick to judge Harry._ I thought, _maybe Harry really was the sweet boy I'd met on the train platform._

But of course Harry proved me wrong no more than a day later.

Time and time again I'd walk downstairs, or take my seat in class, or even just walk down the hall and I'd overhear Ron and Harry talking about Draco and what a pain in the arse he was. It drove me nuts. It was like that was all they talked about. It was especially irritating during Transfiguration class since the two boys sat right behind me.

Finally, one morning, I couldn't stand it anymore and turned around in my seat, red faced, and hissed at them, "Can't you two find anything better to do with your time? Seriously you are at a school for _magic,_ for crying out loud, and you choose to spend your time focused on a boy you hardly see most of the day! Just leave him alone, would you?"

Both boys closed their mouths tightly and turned their eyes down towards their work, their faces both as red as Ron's hair. I was satisfied with this reaction for maybe ten seconds before I heard Professor McGonagall clear her throat behind me.

I lost the Gryffindors two points for that.

Harry, however, tried everything within his power to get on my good side. So while Harry was busy avoiding Draco, I was busy avoiding Harry, by spending as much time as possible with Draco. The task was easy enough since I spent most of my time with Draco and the other Slytherins anyway.

It went without saying that I spent the majority of my time with Draco and with flying lessons coming up, that time was mostly spent listening to Draco talk about how great a flyer he was and how he was sure to be the best flyer in the class. This was exactly what we were doing in the library, one evening after dinner.

"I can't wait for you to see my fly," Draco was saying, lounging in one of the library's many comfortable armchairs. I nodded, sitting on arm of the chair, flipping through one of the books I had compiled in a stack on the table in front of us.

"I told Bethany about the flying lessons coming up," I told Draco, "She said that if I found that I liked flying she'd buy me a broom next year."

"Father says he'll buy me a racing broom next year," Draco said, "I tried to buy a broom with the money your sister gave me but father caught me and said if I got caught and got expelled I'd ruin my family name."

"I wondered what happened to that plan of yours," I hummed flipping the page of my book lazily,

"I just wish they would post the times for flying lessons and who we're learning with," Draco Complained.

I put my book down, "I hope we get to learn together, I've wanted to learn how to fly a broom since I found out I was a witch. You're great at flying so you'll help me, won't you Draco?"

Draco looked up at me and smiled, "Well if you want to get good at something, you learn from the best, now don't you?"

I giggled a little, "Oh, and the star flyer is modest too, I see."

I was loving the idea of having flying lessons with the Slytherins, so the morning I woke up and wandered downstairs to find a group of Gryffindors crowded around the a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room, I knew the Flying lessons schedule had been posted.

I pushed my way through the crowd and took a look at the notice: Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday - and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together. While everyone else was groaning I was grinning happily, not believing my luck. I had wanted to learn how to fly since the day I found out I was a witch. Ever since I had that dream, where I was flying through the air on a broom. It was more than a want. I _needed_ to learn how to fly, I could just feel it.I pushed myself back through the crowd grinning as I played with my french braid and hummed under my breath. I couldn't wait for Thursday.

But as ecstatic I was for the lesson, the rest of the Gryffindors couldn't be more disappointed, none more than Harry Potter.

"Typical," said Harry darkly, "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

I stopped humming, and paused to listen. I frowned, _here we go again…_ I thought bitterly. My eyes drifted over to where Harry stood with Ron in front of the door leading to the rest of the castle, pouting, arms folded against his chest, and staring down at his shoes.

"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably, "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."

I knew Draco talked about flying a lot. He often told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters. I figured most of his stories were a bit exaggerated, but he always got so passionate and exciting when they told them that I found it endearing. Besides that, I didn't remember Draco ever telling Harry or Ron any of these stories, so clearly the boys had been listening in, so it didn't even have anything to do with them.

Besides, it wasn't as if Draco was the only one telling exaggerated stories. According to Seamus Finnigan he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick and I distinctly remembered Ron telling everyone about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom, so who was he to be talking about 'all talk'.

The two boys seemed to stop talking as soon as they noticed my glaring at them. Ron tried to pretend he hadn't just been talking about Draco again but Harry opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but I just shook my head at him and pushed past them, down that stairs to breakfast.

As much as everyone talked about Quidditch, like me, there were still a few people who had never ridden a broom before. For example, Neville, by far my favorite Gryffindor, had never been on a broomstick in his life. His grandmother had never let him near one, he seemed rather disappointed about this, but I kind of thought it was a smart decision since Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground.

Then there was Hermione Granger. Her and I had definitely gotten off on the wrong foot, but you could only avoid someone for so long when you slept in the bed right next to them. Eventually Hermione and I had to talk to one another, and when we finally did, I found out: as bossy as Hermione seemed at first, I had to admit, Hermione wasn't all that bad. In fact, she was pretty great. She might have a tendency to come across as a know-it-all, but if you actually took a second to listen to what the girl was saying, she was extremely smart. It actually pretty ridiculous that she got so much grief for it. Every time I saw her get shot down by the others, I was reminded of myself and how I was treated at my old school. Whenever it happened I felt compelled to stick up for her.

Well, anyway, Hermione had never been flying either. I could tell lessons were making her nervous as well, since flying was something you couldn't learn from a book, no matter how many you checked out of the library. You had to admire her persistence though, the girl sure could memorize facts when she was nervous.

On Thursday Hermione was already reciting flying tips from _Quidditch Through the Ages_ when I got up that morning. I got dressed and walked down to the great hall with her, to give her someone to talk to. I could tell it made her feel better.

I stared longingly at the Slytherin table across the room, but I felt bad ditching Hermione in the middle of a rant so, reluctantly, I sat down beside her at the Gryffindor table, staying as close as possible and avoiding the strange looks the others were giving me, since I _never_ sat at the Gryffindor table.

Neville came over and sat on Hermione's other side, hanging on to her every word, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later. Ron and Harry came over and sat across from us, to my dismay.

"Good morning Lottie," Harry said, smiling at me. Immediately I frowned and Harry's face fell, sensing he'd done something wrong, "What?"

"Charlotte" I said, quietly, not wanting to sound rude, "Draco's already told all the other Slytherins, he's the only one who's allowed to call me Lottie. It's his thing."

I watched as Harry's ears turned pink, but Ron simply crinkled his nose, "What, so now he can just claim nicknames? That git thinks he's so great he can just have anything he wants, doesn't he?!"

I frowned, shooting him a glare.

"Wonderful," Hermione said, rolling her eyes, "Now if you're done, I was in the middle of explaining how to land a broom."

"You're always in the middle of explaining something, aren't you?" Ron said, exasperated, turning to Harry, "Just for once I'd like to come to breakfast and hear her say she's in the middle of eating in silence!"

"Oh, shove off Ron," I shoot Ron another glare, "She's not hurting anyone, and besides, she wasn't talking to you. She was talking to me and Neville, isn't that right Neville?"

Neville looked up confused, realizing he was being spoken to.

Luckily for Neville he was spared from having to respond because the whole conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the mail. Immediately I spotted Abbey in the group of owls carrying packages and letters. She was the smallest owl in the group and flapped twice as hard in order to keep up with Draco's eagle owl. She hovered over the Slytherin table realizing I wasn't there before spotting me and flying over and landing on my outstretched arm.

I grinned happily at my caramel colored owl and scratched her tiny head before taking the tiny package from her talons. It was a tiny package wrapped in brown paper with a note attached to it written in emerald green ink. Abbey hooted softly and flew off again as I opened the note attached to the package.

It was from Bethany. I unfolded it and read it over quickly:

 _My dearest Charlotte,_

 _I am overjoyed you will be able to learn to fly with the Slytherins. I'm sure that your friend, young Draco Malfoy, is as well. It sounds like you two have become quite close. I was hoping that might be the case. Do tell him I said hello and that I hope he'd doing well. I was concerned he'd have some trouble making friends. His social skills aren't the greatest. But as much as I hope you're having fun with your friends, I expect that you're keeping up with your studies. If you're still struggling in Charms, I'm sure Professor Snape will help you, I've worked with him for many years and I can tell you in confidence that he is master wizard, and not only in way of Potions._

 _Speaking of Potions, I'm pleased to hear about the grade you got on your last test. It's no surprise to me that you scored highest in your class. Keep this up and you'll be a potions master in no time, just like your big sister._

 _Keep up the good work, and I'm so happy that you're finally making friends with your fellow Gryffindors. Hermione, Ron and Neville all sound like fine young wizards, so I sent these for you to share with them. Have fun at school, enjoy, and stay out of trouble._

 _With Love,_

 _Bethany_

I ripped the brown paper away from the package in my lap and pulled out a box of expensive chocolates. Bethany was always sending me kind kind of candies, telling me to share it with my friends. I popped one into my mouth and interrupted Hermione's speech for a moment, tipping the box towards her.

She popped a chocolate in her mouth, giving the table a bit of silence while she chewed. I offered the box to Neville and Ron as well, and even Harry, since I didn't want to be rude and offer everyone a chocolate except him.

Neville fiddled with a small package his grandmother's barn owl had brought him. I leaned over the table to get a look at what he'd gotten. I watched expectantly as he ripped it open and held up a small glass ball the size of a large marble. I narrowed my eyes and looked closer, surprised to see the ball was full of white smoke.

"What is that?" I asked Neville, curiously.

"It's a Remembrall," Neville explained, excitedly, "Gran knows I forget things- this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red - oh..." Neville's face fell as the smoke inside the Remembrall suddenly glowed scarlet, "You've forgotten something..."

Neville frowned, obviously having a hard time remembering what he'd forgotten. I sighed, yet again pitying the poor guy and tipping the box of chocolates Neville's way again.

But before Neville could even reach towards the box, another hand reach over and grabbed the chocolate Neville had been eyeing. I looked up just as Draco popped the chocolate into his mouth.

"Good morning, Draco," I said, sitting up straighter and brushing off my skirt, as the rest of the table sat on edge, glaring at Draco, as if getting ready for a fight.

"Morning," Draco said, less enthusiastically than usual. Immediately I wondered what was wrong. Draco eyes scanning the Gryffindor table lazily, and landing on Neville's Remembrall, sparking his interest. Before I knew what was happening Draco reached over and snatched the Remembrall out of his hand, making me blink in surprise.

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet, both obviously hoping for a reason to fight Draco. I rolled my eyes and shoot the boys a sharp glare, daring them to try it. If they did I'd make sure Draught of Living Death ended up in their pumpkin juice. So what if Draco took a Neville's Remembrall without asking? It was hardly a reason to start a fight.

"Oh, would you two sit down," I scolded them, turning to Draco, "Come on, Draco, give him the Remembrall back, it was a gift from his Grandmother."

But Draco didn't do that. Instead he shot a sharp glare.

"Shut up, don't tell me what to do," Draco snapped, indignantly, "I don't orders from lowly little Gryffindors."

As soon as Draco's words hit me, I felt as though I'd been slapped in the face. More than anything I was taken aback by the way Draco had called me a Gryffindor… but I was an honorary Slytherin… that was our agreement… our thing. My smile dropped and I knit my eyebrows in confusion and shock, "Draco?"

But Draco had already turned back to Neville a smug grin on his face, "A Remembrall, huh? I've never had one of those before, but I suppose that's because I have enough room in my head to actually keep track of my life."

But the confrontation didn't go much farther than that because Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was standing over us in a flash.

"What's going on?" She asked, staring from Neville, who was shaking in fear, to Draco, who was holding Neville's Remembrall, and finally in my direction, where I still sat in confusion and shock.

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor." Neville finally spoke up, pointing a chubby finger up at Draco, who scowled at him in anger, but quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.

"Just looking," he said, and my eyes followed him as he left, with Crabbe and Goyle trailing behind him, both looking over their shoulders at me, with what I thought were apologetic glances…

Satisfied, Professor McGonagall straightened and sloped away, her green cloak trailing behind her. There was a long silence at the first year's section of the Gryffindor table, all eyes were on me as I tried to register what happened.

The pity the other Gryffindors' were wasting on me was so thick in the air you could cut it with a knife. Of all the things they'd claimed they'd seen Draco do, I knew for a fact that snapping at me was not one of them. Draco had never snapped at me before, I was the only Gryffindor in the class who had any faith in Draco at all. The way Draco and I always hung around me, I supposed everyone had just assumed I was the one person Draco always treated with some sort of kindness.

I looked around at the faces staring at me, trying to think of something to say. Anything I could say, but I had no idea what. I knew I still had that shocked and hurt expression on my face, but as hard as I tried to change it, it stayed glued on my face.

Harry finally broke the silence.

"Hey, Charlotte," Harry said, trying to make me feel better, "Draco's just a jerk, don't let him get to you… I know you were just trying to help."

That wiped the hurt look right off my face. It was replaced by anger as I shot Harry a harsh glare from across the table.

"Oh, gee thank!" I said, sarcastically, my voice cracking slightly, "I feel _so_ much better now that the wonderful and beloved Harry freakin' Potter knows I was trying to help. That just makes everything right again, now doesn't it!?"

There was another long silence, save for the sound of my standing up, gathering my things, and sniffling slightly. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, waiting for me to start crying or something, which to be honest, I was awfully close to doing.

I stood up, wiping my eyes with the sleeve of my robe, looking back at Harry in vexation, "And he is not just a jerk, okay!"

And with this I walked away, heading out of the great hall. The last thing I heard from the other as I was walking away was Hermione sighing in exasperation.

"Great," She said in annoyance, "Now who's going to compare notes with me before class? Charlotte's sure never going to sit over here again."

* * *

I spent the rest of the day locked in the third floor girls bathroom. Hermione and her friend, Parvati Patil, had come to check on me a few times, but each time I'd told them to leave me alone. Honestly I didn't feel like talking to anyone about what had happened over breakfast. Draco had yelled at me for the first time in front of everyone, basically told me I wasn't a Slytherin and I didn't even know what I'd done to make him so angry with me. I just wanted it all to go away.

Eventually I was forced out of the bathroom at three-thirty for flying lessons, which I was suddenly a lot less hyped about as I had been that morning. I was the last one to walk down the front steps and join the class on the lawn. The two houses had formed two separate groups on the grass, talking quietly among themselves. I stood a little ways away from the Gryffindors, wiping the remaining dampness from my cheeks.

The rest of the Gryffindors glanced my direction every so often at me and whispered to one another quietly. Meanwhile, on the other side of the grass, there were a few stares thrown my way from the Slytherins, noticing my red and splotchy face and puffy eyes.

I tried to focus on just about anything else.

It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under my feet. The area that had been set up for our lesson was a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance. Twenty broomsticks lay before us in two neat lines on the ground.

Everyone snapped to attention when our flying instructor, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk. She eyed us all, sizing each of us up for a moment before waving her hand at us.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

The whole class hurried to stand by a broom, all rushing to get one that looked slightly newer than the others. I glanced down at my broom, quietly. It was old and weathered, and looked as though it had seen battle, with some twigs sticking out here and there at odd angles.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP" everyone shouted. I squeaked in surprise as my broom immediately jumped up off the ground and into my hand. I knew that was what was supposed to happen, but the broom seemed like a regular old broom. The fact that it could move caught me off guard. I was still getting used to the who magic thing after all. I looked up feeling accomplished, gazing around at my peers. I was even further surprised to find that mine was one of the only brooms who had done what it was told, Harry Potter's being the only other that had done the same.

My friends in weren't having nearly as easy a time. I glanced over at Hermione, whose broom was simply rolling around on the ground, and from the looks of things, Neville's broom hadn't moved at all.

I wondered briefly if the brooms could sense fear and that was what made them so reluctant to move. After all, there was a quaver in Neville's voice that said all too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground.

Once we'd moved on, Madam Hooch then showed us how to properly mount our brooms without sliding off the end. She walked up and down the rows, inspecting us each carefully with those hawk-like eyes of hers and correcting people's grips as she went. I felt a bit silly standing there with a broom between my legs but the moment Madam Hooch came over she grinned and told me my stance and grip were perfect. I grinned a little as she wandered off. She stopped in front of Draco and I had to stop myself from tossing Harry and Ron a few dirty looks for snickering as Madam Hooch corrected him. I shook my head sullenly. It just wasn't worth it.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle- three- two-"

I positioned myself, ready for the sound of whistle... But the sound never came. When I glanced back up I immediately saw the reason why.

Neville, who I suppose had been nervous and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had even touched Madam Hooch's lips. My stomach clenched into a knot, seeing the panic on my friend's face as he rose higher and higher into the air.

"Come back, boy!" Madam Hooch shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle. I squeaked, my brain rattling with anxiety.

"Do something!" I cried, "He's going to fall!"

But my cry was drowned out by the other shrieks and cries that surrounded me. Neville was rising higher and higher, - twelve feet - twenty feet. I begged to Merlin that Neville wouldn't look down, because I knew if he did he'd panic and fall.

Merlin, however, wasn't listening at the moment because no more than two seconds later I saw Neville's big scared eyes turn down towards the ground. I saw him gasp, and that was it. There was a chorus of shrieks, mine included as I turned away covering my eyes with the palms of my hands. I felt sick as I heard a loud thud and a nasty crack as Neville hit the ground.

Finally, feeling a bit braver, I peered over at the scene through a crack in my fingers, fearing the worst.

Neville lay facedown on the grass in a heap. Meanwhile, his broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight. Madam Hooch was bent over Neville her face as white as his was.

But neither of their faces were as white as mine.

I'd wanted to fly a broom for so long but never once had I thought of the possibility it could be dangerous! Suddenly I felt sick to my stomach at the very thought of flying a broom.

Across the lawn I heard Madam Hooch mutter, "Broken wrist, Come on, boy - it's alright, up you get."

Neville, who was crying and clutch his wrist, got to his feet as Madam Hooch turned sternly to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

And she didn't have to tell me twice. I didn't want to touch a broom at all, let alone without a teacher there to supervise. With that, Neville, his face streaked with tears, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot that I heard Draco burst into laughter behind me. I turned around to face Draco's direction in shock and a twinge of anger.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?" Draco snickered.

The other Slytherins joined in, as they often did when Draco started laughing.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" I heard Pansy say, "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."

"Look!" said Draco darting forward and snatching something off the ground. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

I felt my face go red as Draco held up the Remembrall, which glittered brightly in the sun. The other Slytherin laughed and giggled.

"Give that here, Malfoy,"

The class got quiet at the sound of Harry addressing Draco, quietly. Harry stepped forward his fists clenched, knuckles white. I pushed my way to the front of the crowd, concerned for Draco and found myself a foot or two away from the standoff.

Malfoy smiled nastily, "And what if I don't, Potter?"

"I'll make you," Harry answered, plainly.

Draco sneered, "Yeah, you and what army?"

As if on cue, Crabbe and Goyle stepped forward taking their place on either side of Draco. Both boys were much bigger than Harry and much stronger, given Harry's tiny frame. Unless Harry secretly had super strength, there was no way he was getting anywhere near Draco.

Harry looked around the crowd of Gryffindors uneasily, but no one stepped forward to back him up, save for Ron who was even scrawnier than Harry was, making the other Slytherins giggle.

"I'm terrified Potter," Draco said, sarcastically, "I'm shaking in my boots. Seriously is that the best you've got?"

"No," I said, my cheeks red, as I took a few steps forward, gathering stares as I went. I marched right up to Harry and stood at his side, opposite Ron. I folded my arms across my chest, "He's got me too."

Draco's face went through several different facial expressions as he looked me over, standing side by side with Harry Potter. None of them seemed to suggest he liked this idea in the least and I might have been mistake but a few of them seemed almost apologetic...

"Give it back Draco," I said, sternly, "What's up with you today? You've been acting like a total Prat! I don't know what your deal is, but you can't just act whatever way you want and expect that to be okay."

I could feel the stares on me as everyone watched to see how Draco would react to this; Being told off by his best friend. I supposed everyone else thought it was a pretty entertaining spectacle, but I was not amused. I heard a couple Slytherins in the group behind Draco giggle and snicker at my words and I could see Draco's cheeks turned red, as he shoot group a harsh glare.

Harry tried again, thrusting his hand outwards towards Draco, his face serious, and somewhat braver than before, "Give it here, Malfoy!"

I could see Draco's eyes scan the area, noticing all the eyes on him and he seemed to boil over and anger and frustration as he shot Harry a nasty look, "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find -how about- up a tree?"

"Give it here!" Harry yelled again but Draco before anyone knew what was happening Draco had leapt onto his broomstick and took off. I squeaked in distress, forgetting my anger at once and replacing it with fear.

Draco hadn't been lying, he was a great flyer, but I couldn't stop my stomach from lurching as he hovered, eye level with the topmost branches of an oak. Even though I could see Draco smiling from the ground, I immediately began to worry.

"Come and get it, Potter!" Draco called from up in the air.

Harry grabbed his broom as well and my mind began to spin with a horrible realization: Neville had broken his wrist just by flying on a broom. If Draco and Harry got into a fight while on them, well, I could only imagine the horrible outcomes.

"No!" Hermione shouted, "Madam Hooch told us not to move! you'll get us all into trouble!"

I hoped that Harry would have the good sense to listen but of course he ignored her. Harry mounted his broom and I grabbed him by the arm, looking at him sternly.

"Listen, he might be acting like a git but that's still my best friend up there, you got that?" I told him, my voice quivering slightly, "If you hurt him, I will kill you. Promise me you won't hurt him!"

"I won't!" said Harry, but it wasn't enough I gripped his arm tighter.

"Say it, Harry, Promise me!"

Harry looked intimidated for about half a second before realizing that I was shakily like a leaf, and my face was more concerned than it was angry, "I promise Charlotte, I won't hurt him."

I let go of his arm and Harry gave me a short nod before kicking off into the air.

He soared upwards, air rushed through his hair, and the wind whipped his robes behind him. He pulled his broomstick up a little and he shot even higher into the air. The other girls screamed and gasped in horror as Harry soared upward. Ron gave an admiring whoop and cheered encouragingly. I raced forward to try and hear what the boys were saying, watching onward in anticipation and horror.

Harry turned his broomstick sharply to face a shocked looking Draco in midair.

"Give it here," I heard Harry call faintly, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

My face went pale, praying Harry wouldn't, but fearing the worst.

"Oh, yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but I could see the worry on his face clear as day.

Harry leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Draco like a javelin.

I shrieked in horror as Draco dodged just in time. Harry made a sharp turn to face Draco once again, holding his broom steady.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called, a smirk on his face. The same thought seemed to have struck Draco because his face turned white with worry.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.

Harry's eyes followed the ball for a moment before leaning forward and pointed his broom handle down. A second later he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball towards the ground.

The other Gryffindors were screaming and cheering wildly as Harry stretched out his hand. Just a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist.

The Gryffindor first years exploded with cheers, all of them running over and surrounding him in amazement, all whooping and shouting. They probably would have gone on cheering for a much longer time if they hadn't been interrupted by someone else's shouts.

"STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID!"

The Gryffindors' cheers died as quickly as they had started. All eyes slowly turned in my and Draco's direction, which was where the noise was coming from. I could only imagine what they were thinking as they took in the sight.

"STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID STUPID!" I yelled over and over again at the top of my lungs, my hands balled tightly into fists which I pounded relentlessly into Draco's arm as he tried to defend himself pathetically.

"OW!" Draco yelled, "Stop hitting me, would you?!"

"DRACO FREAKIN MALFOY YOU ARE SUCH AN IDIOT! FLYING OFF ON YOUR STUPID BROOM ALL BECAUSE YOU'RE TOO MUCH OF A PRIDEFUL JERK TO JUST GIVE ME THAT STUPID REMEMBRALL! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS ABOUT YOU!? FIGHTING LIKE THAT MID AIR! YOU CLEARLY HADN'T THOUGHT ANY OF THIS THROUGH, ARE YOU SERIOUSLY THAT MUCH OF A MORON!? YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN HURT! OR WORSE! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA KNOW HOW THAT MAKE ME FEEL!? DO YOU EVEN CARE!? OBVIOUSLY NOT!"

I gave up on smacking Draco and sat down in the middle of the lawn and began to sob into my hands. There was complete and utter silence on the lawn, except for the sounds of my cries.

"Why are you being so mean to me today!?" I shouted between sobs, "I don't even know what I did wrong!"

All eyes were on Draco and me but I didn't care. I was content just to sit there and cry in front of everyone, I just didn't care anymore. No one spoken until a voice cut through the silence like a knife.

"HARRY POTTER!" Professor McGonagall was running toward them. "Never - in all my time at Hogwarts - how dare you- might have broken your neck-"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor-"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil"

"But Malfoy-"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, no-"

Professor Mcgonagall faltered as the others silenced and she became aware of the sound of my loud crying in the background and the sounds of Draco desperately trying to quiet me before I got him in trouble. She turned her gaze in our direction, staring for a moment to take in the sight. After a moment she cleared her throat as if deciding she really didn't want to know, and saying, "Potter, follow me…" She paused, "and make that Miss Cartwright as well…"

* * *

Professor McGonagall walked beside me, placing her hand on my shoulder and she offered me a handkerchief as we marched along corridors with Harry trotting miserably behind us.

I blew my nose miserably, knowing that I'd probably just ruined any chance of Draco and I being friends again after this. I'd just lost my best friend and now the Gryffindor and the Slytherin house probably both thought I was insane. Things couldn't possibly get any worse.

The only upside to this whole situation was now, Harry was probably going to get expelled. Normally I'd feel bad for him, but not after he was the reason I was in this whole mess in the first place, plus he'd just threatened Draco and nearly knocked him off his broom. I was more angry at Harry now than I had been since I'd met him.

Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom, telling Harry and I to stay put as she opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"

I saw the bewildered look on Harry's face, and knew he was probably thinking that McGonagall had meant some kind of wooden cane. Obviously he had never meet Oliver Wood before, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I'd only met Oliver Wood two or three times, but I'd heard just about a million jokes pertaining to his name, so it was pretty hard to forget.

The first time I'd met Wood, he'd overheard me asking Neville and Hermione what Quidditch even was, and immediately cut in, taking the time to explain the entire game to me. He was a very passionate guy... maybe just a bit too passionate at times.

Oliver Wood was a big burly fifth-year with short sandy brown hair, and alert eyes. He came out of Flitwick's class looking confused as his eyes wandered from Harry to Mcgonagall to me. He looked like he wanted to ask what was going on but Professor McGonagall rush them along in a hurry.

"Follow me," said Professor McGonagall quickly, turning down the hall and marching the three of us up the corridor.

"Hello Charlotte," Wood said, politely talking down to me gently, which was understandable given how tiny I was in comparison to the burly fifth-year. Even though Wood was talking to me, his eyes were locked on Harry curiously.

"Hello Wood," I sniffled miserable.

"In here." Professor McGonagall pointed us into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.

"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and swooped out, cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind Harry and turned to face the two boys to my left, "Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood- I've found you a Seeker."

My face fell, in shock and dismay. Harry had broken the rules, endangered himself and Draco, threatened to knock him off his broom then almost did and now he was getting rewarded for it!?

It was so unfair.

Wood's face, however, changed from puzzlement to delight as a grin spread across his face. "Are you serious, Professor?"

"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply, "The boy's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?"

Harry nodded silently, seeming to relax a bit.

"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."

Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once. I was now looking as though this was the most outrageous thing I'd ever heard. But as unfair as I thought it was I didn't dare interrupt this interaction.

"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" Wood asked excitedly.

"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," McGonagall explained.

"He's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around Harry and looking him up and down, which struck me as more than a little creepy, "Light- speedy- we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor- a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say."

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks..." Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry. "I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you."

"But Professor," I squeaked, looking from Harry to Wood to McGonagall. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Draco had wanted to bring a broom to school with him since before the school year had started but that stupid rule had been in his way. Suddenly Harry had broken the rules and not only was he being rewarded, but he was being rewarded with the privilege to break even more rules!

Professor McGonagall turned to me as if she had just remembered I was standing there. She stood up straight and turned to me, pushing her glasses farther up her nose.

"My apologies Miss Cartwright," She said, "But I will have to ask you to keep quiet about this. If the first years were to find out that we were bending the rules for Harry, they'll all want to do the same. Can you do that for me?"

I opened my mouth to object but nothing came out. There was a small moment of silence as I tried to summon up the courage to tell my teacher no, but it the end I just couldn't do it. Finally, I sighed in defeat.

"Yes Professor," I mumbled, "I'll keep quiet."

Satisfied, Professor McGonagall turned back to the boys and suddenly smiled clasping her hands together, her dark eyes twinkling behind her glasses.

"Your father would have been proud," she exclaimed to Harry, "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."

* * *

After talking to Wood some more about training and when they should meet up, Professor McGonagall released Harry and I to dinner in the great hall. Unfortunately for me the great hall was all the way on the other side of the castle, so I got to walk the entire way there in silence as Harry followed me, a few paces behind. He was looking down and ever so often he's mouth a few words to himself, unbelieving, and looking down smiling to himself.

I thought we might make it the whole way there without talking, but as much as I didn't want to talk to Harry, I absolutely dreaded the thought of making it back to the great hall.

Where would I go? Normally with the Slytherins, but after what happened I doubted Draco wanted anything to do with me. He probably mortified that he'd ever called me his friend and I didn't blame him. I was pretty mortified of myself as well.

Anyway, sitting with the Slytherins was definitely out of the question, so then there were the Gryffindors. I was pretty sure after what I'd down on the lawn, breaking down and sobbing like that, they all thought I was metal. Maybe Hermione and Neville might still be my friends but I could already feel the stares on me and it made me sick.

We were just about to the dining hall and we would have made it all the way there without a word to one another why Harry's voice cut through the silence like a knife. I felt my heart drop in disappointment and agitation.

"So," Harry said, slowly, treading carefully, "today has been...interesting."

I didn't respond.

"I mean, I guess," Harry struggled, clearly trying to find the right word, "It's just, today was...for me… I mean it was great...but I guess not so much for you?"

Harry sucked at this. I sighed, shaking my head.

"I guess what I'm trying to say," Harry continued, "or what I'm trying to ask is, are you okay..? I mean, I know you thought really highly of Malfoy, I know you were his best friend. For his to act like that… that must have really hurt."

I turned and shot him a glare over my shoulder.

"I guess even I gave him credit for that much" Harry didn't seem to notice, "I thought at least he was nice to you. He's such a jerk to everyone else, but I thought he at least had a soft spot for you… And then he made you cry…"

"Excuse me?" I snapped. Harry blinked at me in surprise, not getting what he'd said wrong this time. I turned around to face him, stopping in the middle of the hall, "Who made me cry?"

"I, um..." Harry started, but I didn't let him finish.

"That was not Draco's fault! Draco was not the one who made me cry!" I hissed, poking Harry in the chest, "I was crying because I was scared. I was scared because someone threatened to throw Draco off his broomstick! I was scared because you nearly made him fall from twenty feet in the air!"

Harry's face went red, "Yeah, well, I wouldn't have done that if your boyfriend wasn't such a nasty git! I don't understand how you can't see it! He should have just given me the Remembrall and I wouldn't have had to go after him!"

"No! It wouldn't have happened if I had just stopped you from going up there in the first place!" I shouted, "But I let you go because you promised not to hurt him! And then you deliberately tried to! I trusted you, you liar!"

Harry looked a bit taken aback, remembering his promise to me before he'd taken off. To not hurt Draco. Harry lowered his eyes looking ashamed as my lower lip began to tremble.

"I know Draco can be nasty," I said, more quietly, "I know he was being a huge jerk today. Why else would I have stood up for you. I wouldn't have told him off if I didn't think it was the right thing to do. I just thought you'd know, stooping to that level, isn't the right thing either… I thought..."

I didn't get to finish my sentence. There was a call from down the hall behind us.

"Harry! Charlotte!" I turned around and saw Ron and Hermione heading down the hall in our direction. But Gryffindors looked worried. Hermione ran over taking my arm gently looking me over as if Harry might have hurt me. Ron looked worried to as he stared at Harry.

"Bloody hell Harry," Ron said, "You were gone forever. They didn't… I mean McGonagall she didn't _expel_ you did she..?"

"Not even close," Harry said, shaking off his ashamed look and putting on a smile, "You won't believe what happened!"

"I still don't..." I muttered.

"And you Charlotte?" Hermione asked, concerned, "Are you okay? You were a mess back on the lawn, everyone's been talking about it..."

Leave it to Hermione to be blunt.

I groaned, "Oh god! I can't believe I did that in front of everyone! I'm such an idiot, they all must think I'm insane..!"

"Are you kidding me?" Ron laughed, staring at me and smiling, making me blink confused, "After telling Malfoy off like that! She must have smack the git at least fifty times! Charlotte, you're every Gryffindor's hero! They're all proud of you, if not a little jealous"

I stared at him for awhile.

"Oh Merlin! That's even worse!" I moaned, "The Slytherins! What are they going to think, they're never going to let me sit with them again. Theo and Crabbe, and Goyle, and Blaise… None of them are going to speak to me again… And oh god Pansy...Who's going to do my hair in the morning?!"

Hermione patted my shoulder sympathetically, "If it makes you feel any better, I can do a french braid and I hear Eloise Midgen can do a dutch… Although I'm not entirely sure what the difference is."

I could already see Hermione taking a mental note to check out a book of braids from the library. I smiled thankfully and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Thanks Hermione."

"Anyway!" Ron interrupted, clearly wanting to change the subject, turning back to Harry, "What happened with you and McGonagall!?"

Harry grinned, "Come on, I'll tell you when we get to the great hall, I'm starving!"

The four of us made our way back to the great hall. I walked next to Hermione a few steps behind the boys, feeling less nervous about getting there knowing that the Gryffindors would at least let me sit with them. I did however dread facing the Slytherins… I groaned mentally at the thought. Worst of all was the thought of what Draco must have been thinking about me right now. I didn't even want to know…

heartbroken I said goodbye to all my beloved Slytherin friend. Each one I'd gotten to know and held dearly in my heart. I would miss helping Crabbe and Goyle with their potions homework and watching them ask me questions whenever they got lost in a class, and how grateful they'd act when I explained it to them. I would miss talking about my favorite books with Theo and sharing smiles whenever we talked about our favorite parts, and hanging out easily with Blaise on quiet weekends and his quiet short comments and how ever so often he'd toss me a small smile whenever I said something that pleased him, which was rare given how hard to please Blaise was, but not unheard of. I would miss gossiping with Pansy and looking through her wizard magazines on the front lawn and how she would let me do her hair whenever I found a new hairdo I wanted to try. But most of all I'd miss Draco… I would miss sitting with him in the library and gossiping about the other students and and sharing candy in the great hall and how Draco would give me advice about how to act as a pureblood lady, and Draco's slightly pompous teasing, which I found endearing…

I sighed residing myself to the facts: I had blow it. My first group of friends, my place at the Slytherin table and my one and only best friend. I had ruined it all and for what?: Harry Potter.

* * *

 **Hey guys! I'm really happy I finally got this new chapter out because that seemed to take forever. As you can see it was another long one, but that was because there was a lot I wanted to fit into this chapter. I actually had more I wanted to add to this chapter, but I decided I wanted to leave it at a sort of cliff hanger and kind of leave you wondering what was going to happen between Draco and Charlotte and all that and besides that, If I added in everything else that I wanted to add into this chapter as well, with would be well over 10,000 words long, and usually I shoot for my chapters to be anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 words long, which has not been the case for my latest chapters for this fan-fiction.**

 **Anyway review and tell me what you think is going to happen between Draco and Charlotte and what you think is going through Draco's head and if you think Charlotte has the right to be mad at Harry, or just tell me your thoughts on the chapter in general, and again I stress what an amazing feeling it is to get a good review and what an important part of the writing process it is for me, so it really means a lot, even if it's just like a short one line note telling me you liked it! :)**

 **But anyway time for my behind the scenes segment of today's chapter, since I decided I wanted to make this a regular thing, because it's kinda fun.**

 **So the first thing I wanted to kind of talk about was Hermione and Charlotte's friendship, which you kind of don't get to see get started or develop but it's definitely going to be a big part of the story as time goes on, so I figured I should talk about it. I had Hermione and Charlotte start off as enemies because Hermione, I feel when she was younger just has that effect on people who don't know her well, and I figured it would be a good way to kind of emphasize Charlotte's desire to be in Slytherin, but I think Hermione and Charlotte would be really good friends given the chance to get to know each other, because in the past Charlotte's spent more of her life getting bullied and getting made fun of and since that's kind of what Hermione's going through right now at Hogwarts, I think Charlotte would definitely stand up for her and all that, which is a rule I think also applies to Charlotte and Neville's friendship as well.**

 **Also another subject I wanted to touch down on briefly is Harry wanting to be Charlotte's friend. I kind of imagine Harry trying his hardest to get on Charlotte's good side and wanting to be her friend, and Charlotte's convinced this is because Harry knows she's famous and thinks it would look good. We all know that isn't the reason Harry wants to be her friend, but Charlotte actually isn't too far off. Harry wants to be Charlotte's friend because he knows she's famous, but not because he thinks it will look good, but because he wants to get to know someone who's going through the same thing as him when it comes to the rumors and the whispers, and he's hoping for someone he can relate to in that way, and beside that, I feel like Harry kind of knows it's Draco who's the jerk, not Charlotte, and he can kind of see that she's actually a really sweet person who just so happens to have a nasty best friend.**

 **Then there's also Draco and his suddenly being rude to Charlotte which I considered discussing here but you'll find out why in the next chapter and I don't wanna spoil the surprise so instead I'm going to talk a little bit about Ron and Charlotte's relationship, which I feel is one of the most complex in this story. I kind of feel like Charlotte would be friends with Ron and she says at one point he's kind of like an annoying little brother, and I kind of think that's the simplest way I could explain it, because it's really kind of hard to explain. Like when Ron and Charlotte are alone I feel like they'd get along great and they'd find a lot of the same things cool and such but I also feel like whenever Ron's being rude, Charlotte isn't afraid to call him out on it, like when Ron's rude to Hermione or when he snaps at Draco. Like that one girl friend everyone has who isn't afraid to smack you upside the head when you say something stupid. But like when it comes to Charlotte being Draco's friend I feel like Ron would over and over again convince her he's a bad dude, but ultimately think she's pretty cool and just chalk it up to girls being insane, because when it matters Charlotte does the right thing. However I also think that Ron isn't afraid to call Charlotte out on her bullshit whenever she sides with Draco on something. So it's kinda like a push and pull type thing, kinda like 'You call me out on my bullshit, I'll call you out on yours' type deal.**

 **Anyway that's it for today, I hope you enjoyed, thank you so much for the support and love and I hope you read the next chapter that comes out as well to find out what happens between Charlotte and Draco and everyone else, remember to review and have a great day!**

 **With love, Piper-Audrey**


	11. The Midnight Not-Duel

CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE MIDNIGHT NOT-DUEL

I snapped out of thought the moment we sat down at the Gryffindor table. It was hard to focus on anything else besides the smiles of admiration I was getting from my fellow Gryffindors as they all clamored to congratulate me and cheer for me.

"That was bloody brilliant Charlotte!" Seamus Finnegan was saying, "You should have seen Malfoy's face!"

"I know," Agreed Dean Thomas, "I've wanted to smack that guy since the first day of classes. I didn't think you'd be the one to do it, Charlotte."

"I know!" Ron joined in, "No one saw that one coming! Ha-ha Malfoy's gonna be bruised for a week, and did you hear her call him an prat like that? The look on his face was priceless."

I sank down in my seat, my face red, "It really wasn't all that great… I was just scared he was gonna get hurt… I didn't mean what I said… "

But no one was listening to me.

"To be honest I thought you were just like the other Slytherins Charlotte," Dean smiled, "but when you stood up for Harry. I mean, even I was too nervous to do that, but that was really cool of you."

Seamus nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I thought you were like that too, but hey, I get along well with just about anyone who's willing to stand up for their friends like you did! Neville's going to be so excited to hear about it. we're going to visit him in the hospital wing later, do you want to come?"

I smiled a bit, nodding my head yes in response. I felt a little better in knowing that the Gryffindors didn't just like me because I'd yelled at Draco and hit him, but because I'd stood with Harry and defended Neville, which was the part of what had happened on the lawn that I didn't regret.

"I'd love to come. But seriously, on the lawn… I wasn't really thinking. I just wanted to stand up for Neville," I said quietly, "I wouldn't have felt right if I didn't. I really hate bullying… I used to get bullied a lot myself at my old school."

"Really?" said dean, "But... your Charlotte Cartwright! Everyone loves you."

"Not where I'm from..." I said, "I was raised by muggle in America. I went to a muggle school until this year. I was picked on by the boys in my class because weird things happened around me. I had no idea then that it was because I was a witch. I didn't even have any friends until..."

I got quiet. I didn't have any friends at all until I'd met Alfie, who turned out to be using me, and then I'd had Draco and the other Slytherins… I wondered faintly if I was back to having no friends. I suppose the answer was no, because I still had Hermione and Neville and Ron and all them, but it wasn't the same as having the group of kids around me who'd befriended me first, back when I had no one. It wasn't the same as having the Slytherins…

My eyes drifted over to the Slytherin table sadly. I was surprised to see Pansy with her arms folded across her chest, her eyes pointed sharply in my direction. I could see the other boys, Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise, looking my way as well, bending in their seats to get a better look.

At first I thought it was because they were mad at me but I found out the real reason a moment later, when I felt a finger poke sharply on my shoulder, making me jumped out of my seat in surprise. I heard the Gryffindor table fall into intense silence as I turned around.

"Draco..!?" I squeaked in looking up at the blonde Slytherin boy. He had his arms folded around his chest, eyes turned down, his cheeks slightly pink, looking uncomfortable and embarrassed, although I had no idea why. "What…- what do you… I mean, what is it?"

Draco kept his eyes turned downward as he seemed to search his brain for words, before noticing the glares he was getting from the other Slytherins, and widening his eyes a bit, before looking down and seeming even more uncomfortable.

Parvati Patil scowled, standing up, "Haven't you done enough to the poor girl for one day, Malfoy?"

"Shove off Patil!" Malfoy hissed, tossing her a sharp glare, before turning to me again and sighing a little, "Lottie, can I talk to you? In _private_..." Draco eyed Parvati as he said 'private'.

I looked around at the others, my heart thumping, surely this was the part of the day when Draco tells me he never wants to talk to me again, or tells me that he was wrong about me this whole time. That I really was just some Gryffindor scum and that I was no longer and Honorary Slytherin, and that Pansy wanted her headband back… I frowned, might as well get it over with…

"It's okay, Parvati… I got this," I said, stepping forward, rubbing the back of my neck, "Sure, Draco, let's talk..."

Draco shot my other Gryffindors one last glare before turning and walking away. I followed him out of the great hall, a few paces behind feeling as though my feet had turned to lead. We stopped outside the big oak doors and Draco looked around to make sure we were alone.

"Listen Draco..." I said, dejectedly, "I know what I did must have been mortifying. I should have never yelled at you or hit you in front of everyone, you must be ashamed to have called me your friend, so if you asked me to talk so you could tell me that don't want anything to do with me anymore… I understand."

Draco's cheeks turned an even darker shade of red "What? No, geez… I wanted to apologize to you, that's why I asked to talk to you."

" _You_ … wanted to apologize to _me_?" I asked slowly, confused. It was hardly like Draco to apologize. I thought for sure he'd be furious that I yelled at him in front of everyone.

"Okay, to be clear," Draco said, indignantly, looking like this was the most awkward situation he'd ever been in in his life, "It's not me that wants to apologize."

I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow, confused.

"I mean," Draco sighed, "After you left with Potter, the others nearly bit my head off… The Gryffindors were made for obvious reasons, but the other Slytherins were mad at me too… I guess you mean a lot to them, because they're all furious with me for making you cry. Even Blaise and Theo were mad."

I stared at him stunned, "Seriously?"

"Seriously," Draco confirmed, "so everyone was yelling at me… and Pansy said they wouldn't forgive me until I apologized to you."

I stared at Draco in shock. I couldn't believe it. My friends usually went along with everything Draco said. No one ever told Draco what to do, but here they were, standing up to Draco, for me. my chest felt like it was about to burst.

"So," Draco said, "I guess I really was being a prat. It's just… This morning I saw you with Granger and Longbottom and the weasel and you looked like you were having fun, and then Pansy said that you were finally answering you calling as a Gryffindor… I thought… I guess I was _jealous._ "

Draco gritted out the word 'jealous' as if it were painful.

"Then when I came over to the stupid Gryffindor table and you stood up for Longbottom and I just snapped… I don't know why, I just did," Draco's face turned red in frustration, "I thought you were going to decide you'd rather be a Gryffindor and I was just mad… I really wasn't trying to make _you_ upset, just all the other stupid Gryffindors..."

Draco's face was red as he pushed out the words, making it obvious that this whole apologizing thing was difficult for him, as he avoided looking me in the eyes.

I sighed, smiling a little, "You know, not all of them are bad. I know that you do know get along with them… And I don't expect you to. I don't want you to think that I want you to change for me because friends don't ask each other to do that… All I want is for you to listen to me, like when I told you to give Neville's Remembrall back."

Draco pouted for a moment, before offering me a small smile, "Sounds fair. How about I promise to listen to you from now on, if you promise not to cry in the middle of the lawn because of me anymore. Deal?"

Draco stuck his hand out to me, but instead of taking it, I rushed forward wrapping my arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. I was just so relieved that Draco still wanted to be my friend, I thought for sure he wanted nothing to do with me.

Draco was surprised for a moment, before I felt his muscles relax and his arms wrap around my middle, hugging back. I pressed my face into the crook of Draco's neck, amazed at how great it felt to be this close to him. It washed away the remainder of that nasty feeling I'd had since that morning, that I'd lost him

"Of course we have a deal, silly!" I laughed, pulling back, finally, "But you have to promise me something else too…"

Draco looked confused, crinkling his nose, "What else?"

"You have to promise," I said smiling, "That we're going to stay best friends, okay? That we aren't going to let our dumb houses, or a fight or anything like that stop us from being friend. Promise me that going to be best friends forever."

"Do I have to?" Draco rolled his eyes, looking grossed out, "Best friends forever? You are such a _girl_ sometimes Lottie." But I could see Draco's expression soften as I took both his hands in my own, "Fine… I promise."

"And I promise too," I smiled feeling much better, "Oh! And just so you know, when I was crying on the lawn, that wasn't because of you. It wasn't your fault!"

"It wasn't?" Draco asked, unconvinced, "Then what was with all the yelling and hitting me, that hurt!"

"I'm sorry!" I frowned, "It's just… When I heard Harry threaten you in the air like that. I mean, after seeing what happened to Neville, I just thought… if something like that happened to you... I don't know, I was mad that you put yourself in danger. But it was Harry that nearly knocked you off the broom. I was just so scared."

Draco frowned, "Oh come on, I'm ten times a better flyer than Longbottom. Potter couldn't have knocked me off that broom if he wanted to."

I frowned at Draco. I knew that he was a good flyer. I knew I probably had nothing to worry about but still, in the moment, I had been terrified and I knew for a fact, that for moment, or two Draco had been too.

Draco thought about this for a moment, looking down. Trying to think of a way to make me feel better. After awhile, Draco lifted his head and smiled at me, "Okay, Potter scared you, right? What do you say we get a little payback and scare him?"

"What do you mean?" I blinked looking up at Draco slightly, who was grinning at me, a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Have you ever heard of something called a Wizard's Duel?"

* * *

Draco and I stepped back into the great hall, arms linked like usual, grinning and giggling to ourselves over the plan we'd just made. I had to admit it was a good one. Draco and I made our way over to the Slytherin tables, and I ignored the stares coming my way from the Gryffindors. We walked over to our place at the Slytherins' table, and I sat down between Draco and Pansy.

"I see you two are all good again," Pansy hummed, "You done being crybaby yet, Cartwright?"

I simply laughed and hugged Pansy.

"Don't act like you aren't glad to see me, I know you were the one who told Draco to apologize. Thanks." I said, quietly enough that no one else could hear me. Pansy rolled her eyes, trying to act as though she had not idea what I was talking about, but after a moment, she looked my way, giving me a half smile and hugging back.

Pansy let go and went back to eating, "So, what punishment did old McGonagall dish out for Potter, Charlotte. I wish I had been there."

I frowned, and muttered, "None actually."

"None!?" Pansy said, "What do you mean none!?"

Draco and the others stared at me, Draco whined "Oh, come on! She must have done something! You heard Madam Hooch, she said we'd be expelled if she found any of us on our brooms!"

"I know!" I said, exasperated as well, "It was totally unfair. He just got told he was an amazing flyer and..."

I trialed off remembering my promise to Professor McGonagall.

"And what?" Pansy asked.

"And nothing," I said, quietly, "She just let him go."

Draco tugged at my sleeve, "Well, if McGonagall won't punish him, why don't we dish out some of our own! Come on, Lottie."

I jumped up and followed Draco as he beckoned Crabbe and Goyle to follow. We walked across the hall over to the Gryffindor table, where we spotted Harry, a few feet away talking to Fred and George Weasley. Draco walked over tugging me by our linked arms, whispering, "Just let me do the talking."

We pounced as soon as Fred and George had disappeared.

"Well, Potter, you seem in good spirits. Does it have anything to do with old McGonagall making the mistake not to expel you?" Draco said, approaching Ron and Harry.

Both Gryffindors spotted me, arm in arm with Draco, hiding behind him slightly, and their faces seemed to drop in disappointment. Harry simply shrugged at Draco's comment turning to face him.

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly. I looked over Crabbe and Goyle, not understanding what Harry had meant by little. There was nothing little about them, but I supposed, with the High Table was full of teachers, as protection, Harry was brave himself. Brave enough to insult them, Which was another thing that made me mad. Sure the two followed Draco around a lot, and copied him, but they only did that because they looked up to him. Other than that, Harry and the others had no real reason to hate them. To be honest, they were pretty sweet boys. A little on the dim side, but that was besides the point.

"I'd take you on anytime, on my own," said Malfoy, shooting me a smile, as he continued with the plan, "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only- no contact."

"Why should we duel you Malfoy?" Ron hissed, "We all know Harry would win, don't embarrass yourself."

"What?" Draco asked calmly, "You can't handle it? I bet you don't even know what we're talking about. Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around.

"Then why not fight us!" Draco egged, on and I could see the little bit of worry showing on Harry's face, "A wizard like you, raised by muggles. I've been doing magic my whole life. You don't stand a chance Potter! No one blames you for being afraid, Potter. Just keep that in mind next time you feel like challenging with us."

Draco laughed and turned to leave but we were all stopped by Ron's voice anger behind us. "Harry's not afraid of you, you prick! He accepts! I'm his second."

 _Oh no_. This was not part of the plan. I looked at Malfoy, but he turned back to Ron and Harry without a word to me, keeping a calm demeanor.

"Who's your second?" Ron asked, "Go on, pick whoever's biggest!"

"Don't be stupid," he said. " I don't need to pick whoever's biggest. Lottie's my second of course. She could hex you both into oblivion. Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

And with that they turned away. As soon as we were out of earshot I tightened my grip on Draco and tugged his sleeve, "What was that!? I thought you said Harry would never agree to a wizard's duel! We were just supposed to scare him!"

Draco frowned, his face paler that usual, "How was I supposed to know he'd say yes?!"

"Now what are we supposed to do?" I asked, nervous, "I don't know about you but I don't want to sneak out of my room in the middle of the night! Who knows how much trouble we'd be in!"

"Either do I!" Draco said, thinking for a minute, before getting a grin on his face, "Luckily, I don't think we'll have to… I have an idea."

"Not another one!" I groaned, "Your first one just backfired..."

"Just trust me," Draco smirked, "this time, it's fool proof."

* * *

The only problem with trusting Draco when he says to trust him, is that I really didn't trust him.

I mean most of the time I trusted Draco, but this time was not one of those times. You see, I did not trust Draco right now, because his latest idea was probably the worst idea he'd had all day. And that was really saying something because over the course of the day Draco had come up with quite a few brilliant ideas, such as stealing Neville's Remembrall and fighting Harry whilst on a broom and challenging Harry to a Wizard's Duel…

Yup, Draco was on a roll today, but this last idea topped them all.

Anyway, that was what I was up thinking about at eleven fifteen that night, when I should have been getting a good night's sleep in preparation for tomorrow's potion's class, which was kind of unfortunate because we were going to be learning to make forgetfulness potions in class, and I had arranged to help Professor Snape do inventory after school for extra credit. The last thing I wanted to be doing during all that excitement was to falling asleep.

But if I hadn't been awake at eleven fifteen that night I wouldn't have heard the soft sound of bare feet on wooden floorboards or the sound of a quiet whisper in the dark.

There was a spark and a soft blue light in the dark and I could see Hermione's tiny frame in the low light as she pulled on her pink bathrobe over her white and pink polka dot pajamas.

"Hermione?" I asked, "What are you doing up? It's late."

Hermione jumped and dropped her wand, extinguishing the light coming it. I sat up in bed as Hermione searched for her wand in the dark and illuminated the room in soft blue light once more, before walking over to my bed and answering me in a hushed whisper.

"I'm up because I'm stopping Harry and Ron from meeting you and Draco for the Wizard's duel tonight!" She said, matter-a-factly, "Why aren't you trying to sneak out?"

I frowned at this. I didn't like the idea of Hermione getting mixed up in all this. She was just trying to look out for her house, I didn't want her to end up getting caught in the crossfire of the war going on between Harry and Ron and Draco and I. The last thing I wanted was for Hermione to resent me.

I sat up and pulled on my own bathrobe, frowning, "I'm not going anywhere, Hermione. There is no Wizards duel."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, "I heard you and Draco. Harry and Ron talking about it earlier. I tried to tell Harry and Ron not to go but they said it wasn't any of my business. They're getting ready to sneak out right now!"

"Shh!" I warned her, as Lavender started to stir in her bed, "know they're getting ready to sneak out, Hermione, but they aren't going to find any duels waiting for them."

Hermione looked at me confused and I considered leaving it at that and going back to sleep (or trying to anyway), after all, I could only imagine how mad Hermione would be if she found out what Draco's plan was, and that I was going along with it. But after a moment or two, for reasons unknown to me, I decided to tell her. Maybe it was because I was hoping she'd be able to help. Or maybe it was because I sort of felt like I deserved to be yelled at for what I was doing, but whatever the reason I told Hermione the truth.

"Draco thought if we challenged Harry to a wizard's duel he'd think that we really would fight him, get scared and refuse," I said, "But then Harry accepted and we really didn't know what to do, because we didn't want to risk sneaking out of our dorms at night, but we couldn't back down from the duel either…"

"So you're just not going to show up?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Well, yes?" I said, quietly, "That and… Draco kind of came up with the idea to tip off Filch and get them in trouble, as well…"

Hermione stared at me, in shock and anger and a twinge of disappointment that felt like a punch to the heart "But… They're going to lose Gryffindor points! Don't you care about that Charlotte!? I can't believe you, that's so cowardly and... and selfish!"

"I know!" I buried my head in my knees, unable to take the look Hermione was giving me right now, "I know it is…! I feel really bad about it too, but what else am I supposed to do…? I don't want to get Harry or Ron into trouble but Draco he… we just made up from a fight… I just… I couldn't bring myself to say no to him…"

"You can't just let Malfoy pressure you into doing stuff you don't want to, you know that, right?" Hermione scowled, "I don't like to use petty insults, but quite simply he's a complete and utter moron, and just because he's your friend doesn't mean you have to go along with everything he says. Frankly, you could do much better. Much."

"But, Hermione… it's not about doing better," I protested, not knowing how to put my feelings into words, in a way she might understand. Draco was the first person who had ever wanted to be my friend, and he stood up for me, and at times he even seemed proud of me. I'd never had that before. No matter how I looked at it, Draco was important to me. Even if he did some rotten things, he was still my best friend. I'd never had anything like that before, I didn't know how to act… It was for that reason that I was so scared that anything I did might ruin what we had.

"You have to believe me, Hermione…" I said, miserably, "I never wanted to trick Harry and Ron, honestly… Even if he's a little bit of a brat, Ron's my friend and Harry might of scared me on the lawn but he doesn't deserve to get in trouble like this. I really do wish I could take it back."

"You know, Charlotte… You really are too sweet for your own good, even if your best friend is an imbecile. Which is why I'm going to once again be the responsible one and talk those two idiots out of going anywhere." Hermione said, placing her hands on her hips. I blinked and looked up at her, after a moment or two Hermione's face softened and she looked down at me "Your lucky I'm your friend you know. Otherwise you might have to worry about getting in trouble, but since we are... I don't think anyone _really_ has to know that you and Malfoy tried to do anything..."

I looked up at Hermione who offered me a small smile. Suddenly flooded with gratitude, I flung my arms around the bushy brown haired girl, relieved in knowing that Hermione was going to, at least, try fix the gigantic mess Draco and I had created, before it caused any serious damage. I seriously didn't get how anyone could dislike this girl. Hermione was amazing.

"Thank you, Hermione!" I said, happily, "You know, I don't care what anyone says about you. I might not have met many, but you really are one of the best witches I've ever met."

I could see Hermione's cheeks glow in the faint light and I giggled softly as she tried to hide her embarrassed expression, muttering "Anyway, I better get going if I'm going to catch the boys before they leave."

I let Hermione out of my hug and watched her put out the light of her wand and tip toe out of the room in her bathrobe. I crept out of bed as well and opened the door a crack to hear what was going on downstairs. It was eleven thirty.

I couldn't hear a thing.

Silently I made my way back across the room, grabbed my wand from my trunk, and crept down the spiral staircase, to peek around the corner into the Gryffindor common room, staying hidden in the shadows. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the armchairs into hunched black shadows. I could see Hermione sitting in one of them, cross legged, waiting for the boys to appear.

She didn't have to wait long, however, because no more than two minutes later I heard footsteps coming down the other set of spiral stairs that lead up to the boys dormitory, and saw the silhouettes of Harry and Ron make their way quietly to the portrait hole across the room. They were almost there when I heard Hermione's voice speak up from the armchair closest to them.

"I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry." She hissed at them, flicking on a lamp, illuminating the three of their faces in the dark room, so I could see their expressions.

"You!" said Ron, furiously, "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy- he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

Harry wore an expression of pure annoyance, which was enough to make me want to smack him. It wasn't too much of her to ask them not to break the rules! _Don't be an idiot Harry!_ I thought pleadingly, _For once do the smart thing and listen to her. There is no duel waiting for you, you moron!_

But of course Harry didn't do that, because that was just my luck.

"Come on," He said to Ron, making me groan in frustration. He pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.

 _No, no, no, no, no, no! Harry you idiot!_

Hermione looked conflicted for a moment, shooting a look in the direction of the girls dorm, making me hide around the corner. Hermione shook her head and put on a determined face, before following Ron and Harry through the portrait hole.

 _No, no, no, no, no, no, no!_ I squeaked in desperation as I watched her disappear through the portrait after them. The last thing I wanted was for Hermione to end up in trouble for my sake. Why on earth had she followed them!? I watched in horror as the door closed behind them. I rushed over to the portrait hole and pressed my ear to it, trying to hear what the three of them were saying.

To my relief, I could hear Hermione outside the Gryffindor hissing at Harry and Ron in anger, "Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves!? I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."

"Go away."

"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so-"

But what they were, I didn't find out, because Hermione stopped talking all of a sudden. I cursed myself bitterly, Why hadn't I just told Harry and Ron the truth!? Why did I make Hermione try and stop them for me? Now I had no idea what was going on! Why had Hermione stopped talking? I was so worried, my brain was starting to hurt…

Luckily a moment later I heard Hermione pipe up once more.

"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly.

"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we're going to be late."

 _No!_ I cursed again, _Don't go!_ But I could already hear footsteps fading away from the portrait. There was a moment of silence before I heard more footsteps, Hermione's most likely, in pursuit.

Now it had gone too far. I couldn't risk Hermione getting in trouble on my behalf. I pushed the Portrait hole open, and crawled through, tripping slightly and landing on the flood with a thud.

The three others turned to stare at me, and I heard Hermione yell at me, "Charlotte! Don't let that door close!"

But it was too late. The portrait hole swung close just as I reach up to grab it, and suddenly I looked up and saw why Hermione had been so shrill a minute ago. The fat woman from the painting was gone… We were locked outside. I groaned loudly at my own stupidity. With nothing left to do, I scooped myself off the floor and caught up to the others, my face red.

"Charlotte?" Harry asked, "I would have thought you'd of already left. Shouldn't you already be with Malfoy but in the trophy room? What are you doing here?"

"Er..." I didn't know how to answer to that without letting the boys know about the trap I'd helped set for them, but luckily Hermione cut in so I didn't have to.

"I'm coming with you," she said, firmly.

"You are not." shot back Ron.

"Oh, yes she is," I shot right back, "D'you think I'm just going to leave her out here to wait for Filch to come and catch her? If he finds all of us I'll tell him the truth, that she was trying to stop us, and you two can back me up. It's our fault she got trapped out here in the first place, ya think doing that much for her is the least we could do."

I shot them both a cold look. There was no way I was letting Hermione get in trouble for this, after all she was only out here for me. The least the boys could do was treat her was some respect.

"You act like I owe her something-" said Ron loudly.

"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply. "I heard something."

I could hear it too. It was a sort of shuffling.

"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.

It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville. He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as we crept nearer.

"Neville!" I breathed, "What on earth are you doing out here!"

"Thank goodness you found me!" Wailed the poor boy, "I've been out here for hours, I couldn't remember the new password to get into bed."

"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere." Ron whispered.

"How's your arm?" asked Harry.

"Fine," said Neville, showing us. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Thank goodness that fall looked terrible!" I frowned, taking the time helping Neville off the ground and to his feet, but Harry and Ron were already inching down the hallway, impatiently.

"Good- well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later-" Harry said, making me shoot them another angry glance at their lack of compassion for the poor kid.

"Don't leave me!" said Neville, "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione and Neville. "If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but I clamped my hand over her mouth and shook my head no at her. Harry hissed at us to be quiet and beckoned us all forward. We flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn I was extra cautious, knowing that Filch or Mrs. Norris could be around any corner waiting for us, but so far we were lucky.

We sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room. As expected, it was empty. Draco was, no doubt, fast asleep in the Slytherin dorms, away from any sort of danger. The only thing the room held was crystal trophy cases glimmering in the moonlight. Cups, shields, plaques, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness.

Harry and Ron edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Harry took out his wand in case Draco leapt in and started at once. Hermione and I exchanged a worried look.

"Guys..." I whispered, "I don't think this is a good idea. It doesn't look like Draco's coming, so maybe we should call it a night."

"Yeah," Ron whispered, "Looks like he's chickened out."

I was about to call that a victory when a noise in the next room over made my blood pool in my feet. Harry raised his wand, perhaps expecting Draco, but the voice they heard a second later, did not belong to Draco Malfoy.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner." It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris.

Horror-struck, Harry waved madly at the rest of us to follow him as quickly as possible; I didn't have time to argue or think, so I scurried silently after him, toward the door, and away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped round the corner when I heard Filch enter the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere," I heard him mutter, "probably hiding."

"This way!" Harry mouthed as we began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. I could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run -he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armor. The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.

"RUN!" Harry yelled, and the five of us broke into a sprint as we hurled ourselves down the gallery, not even bothering to look back to see whether or not Filch was following us- we swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another.

Harry took the lead although it was obvious he had no idea where he was going. I didn't bother argueing though, because it didn't really matter where we were going as long as it was away from Filch. We ripped through a tapestry and found ourselves in one of Hogwarts many hidden passageways. We hurtled along it and came out near our Charms classroom, which I already knew was miles away from the trophy room.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead. I leaned against the wall next to him and sank to the floor, trying to catch my breath. Neville was doubled- over, wheezing and spluttering in front of us.

"I- told- you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I- told- you."

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."

"This is all my fault," I moaned, catching my breath, "I should have just told you guys the truth, I'm so stupid!..."

Harry looked down at me, "Told us what?"

"That Draco and I were planning to tricked you!" I snapped, because, seriously, at that point it should have been obvious, "He...er, I mean we… We were never going to meet you in the trophy room- we tipped Filch off to get you in trouble. But then I started feeling guilty about it so I asked Hermione to try and stop you from going, but you two were too daft to listen to her."

I knew that tipping off Filch was Draco's doing and the whole idea was Draco's to begin with, and I could have said that to make myself look less guilty. I could have told them that I hadn't wanted to do it in the first place but I hadn't wanted to let down Draco. But I didn't. For two reason. First, I had still gone along with Draco's plan and in all honesty, that made me just as guilty, no matter my involvement, and secondly, Telling them all that would just make Draco look worse by comparison, and I didn't want them to end up blaming solely Draco for the whole ordeal. It would only lead to further conflict in the future.

"You what!?" Ron turned to me, his face as red as his flaming hair. "Then why didn't you say something earlier!? We came all this way for nothing! The least you could have done was ask anyone less ifurianting than _her_ -" He waved his hand at Hermione "-to convince us not to go! Why I ought-"

"Ron," Harry warned, "That's enough, we can deal with this when we get back to the Gryffindor tower. Let's go."

I groaned, covering my face with my hands. I had really messed up this time… I just wanted to go to sleep and never wake up… But even that was easier said than done, because the journey back to the Gryffindor tower was not an easy one. We hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of us.

It was Peeves.

He caught sight of us and my heart sank as he gave a squeal of delight.

"Shut up, Peeves -please- you'll get us thrown out." Harry whispered in desperation, as if that would help.

Peeves cackled. "Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please." Harry begged.

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, I wanted to scream _No_ as Ron marched forward and took a swipe at Peeves, but it was too late. Peeves went off like a siren.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" He bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR"

Ducking under Peeves, we once again set off running for our lives. I pushed Neville in front of me in an attempt to hurry him down the hall. I risked a look over my shoulder and although I couldn't see anyone behind us, I could hear footsteps in the distance. The others came to a halt in front of me, stopped in their tracks by a locked door. We were trapped.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, as he pushed helplessly at the door, turning to me in frustration, "This is all your fault! We're done for! This is the end!"

But I was too distracted by the sound of footsteps growing louder to feel angry or guilty. No doubt Filch was running as fast as he could toward Peeves's shouts.

"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, 'Alohomora!"

I sighed with relief with the lock clicked and the door swung open. Of course Hermione had a plan. She was amazing, leave it to her to save our butts. Without a moment's hesitation, we piled into the room and shut the door as quickly and quietly as we could. Harry, Ron and I pressed our ears against it, listening.

"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please.'"

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right -please."

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!"

I groaned at the stupid joke. Just because you're dead, doesn't mean your sense of humor had to die to… That was just terrible… But wasn't about to complain because a moment later I heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay- get off, Neville!"

I looked over at Neville, who had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe for the last minute. I turned around and gasped in shock, listening as Hermione and Ron did the same. Harry was the last to catch on.

"What?" He asked, confused, finally turning around himself, to see what exactly we were all staring at and understood exactly why we were all backing up in terror.

It was as if I'd walked into a nightmare. As if today hadn't been bad enough, with arguments and duels and brooms, it made sense that this would happen as well. As we found out, we weren't in a room, as I had thought. We were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now I finally knew why Dumbledore had named it forbidden.

I was standing there, frozen, staring straight into the eyes of a dog the size of a fire truck, filling the whole space between the ceiling and floor, and most the most terrifying part of all: It had three heads.

Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in our direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.

It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at us, and with a twist in my gut I realized how much danger the five of us were in, if we didn't get out of here before the dogs got over their surprise and ripped us the shreds. And I knew that wouldn't be long given the thunderous growls the beast was making.

I looked back as Harry groped for the doorknob and opened the door quickly. We all clamored back through, as quickly as we could, falling on the floor on top of each other. Harry slammed the door behind him, and started off running. We all picked ourselves off the floor and ran off after him, back down the corridor.

Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because he wasn't anywhere to be seen, but I wasn't taking any chances. Between Filch and that monster, all I wanted to be safe and sound in my cozy Gryffindor dorm. I had wanted to be in Slytherin so bad, but now all I wanted was to be back with the Gryffindors.

We didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor. To my relief she was finally back, standing in her portrait as if she'd never left.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at our bathrobes hanging off our shoulders and our flushed, sweaty faces.

"Never mind that- pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry, and the portrait swung forward. I scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into a cozy, red velvet armchairs. It was a while before any of us said anything, and I would have been just as happy if I could slip into my room without saying anything, given the looks I was getting from Harry and Ron.

"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally.

"If any dog needs exercise, that one does." Hermione gasped.

"You've got that much right..." I nodded, "I've never been so scared before in my life…"

"Yeah," Ron said, fixing me with a glare, "Well that's your own bloody fault, now isn't it!? I can't believe you and Malfoy were going to set us up!"

"To be fair," I muttered, "It didn't start out that way. We thought you'd refuse the wizard's duel..."

"Oh!" Ron said, "And that makes it okay!"

"I bet it was Malfoy's idea," Harry hissed, angrily.

"I bet so too," Agreed Ron, "Man, just wait, the next time I see him, I'll knock his teeth out."

"No!" I squeaked, my cheeks turning red as the boys turned to me. I took a hard swallowed. If the boys blamed Draco it would only lead to more trouble… "It was me. It was my idea. Draco just went along with it..."

"It was you!?" Ron said, unbelieving. "Seriously? What the heck, Charlotte, I thought we were friends!"

I turned my gaze to the floor, "I'm sorry..."

"Charlotte," Hermione said quietly, looking at me with sympathy, but knowing well enough not to say anything to the boys. She turned to Ron, crossly "Well if you hadn't gone and snuck out, like I told you not to, it wouldn't have mattered much, now would it?"

"Who asked you!?" Ron hissed.

I could hear the two shouting at each other, but my eyes were on Harry, who I could see staring at me out of the corner of my eye, just watching me, with piercing green eyes, like I was a puzzle he was trying to solve.

Finally Harry and I gazed back up when the subject returned to that of the three headed down in the third floor corridor. Hermione had her arms folded over her chest and she was glaring at the others.

"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped at us "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" Harry suggested, his eyes finally leaving me, and turning to Hermione "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads."

"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something." She stood up, glaring from Ron to Harry, before giving Neville and I softer looks, but keeping her tone stern, "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed- or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed. Are you coming, Charlotte?"

I cleared my throat, "I'll be up in a bit"

Honestly I didn't think I'd be able to sleep for the next fifty years. There was way too much adrenaline pumping through my veins for my brain to shut down long enough for me to fall asleep.

Ron stared after her, his mouth open as she disappeared up the spiral staircase to the girl's dorm.

"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you? Come on Harry, let's go to bed. We're never going to hear the end of it from Snape if we're late to Potion's class tomorrow"

"Yeah," Harry nodded, "I'll be up in a bit, go on without me."

Ron disappeared up the stairs with Neville and I heard a door close in the distance. Then it was just me and Harry left alone in the Gryffindor common room.

Harry broke the silence first.

"You're a liar, you know," Harry said.

I sighed, and crossed my arms, "I know, I shouldn't have tipped of Filch. It was a stupid idea, I said I was sorry."

"That's not what I meant," Harry said, frowning, "It was stupid idea, you're right, but we both know it wasn't yours."

I stiffened.

"It was Malfoy's idea," Harry said, knowingly, "And you're the one who just went along with it, weren't you."

I looked down at my feet silently.

"Why?" Harry asked, exasperated, "Why throw yourself under the bus for him? I know it wasn't your idea, I know you're not that kind of person. So, why take the blame for him? Merlin, he's not even nice to you."

"You and Ron..." I started, "You'd start fighting with him if you knew it was his idea. I didn't want that… I've already caused so much trouble. I didn't want any more."

There was a long silence.

"You know..." Harry said, finally, "You and I… We don't have to, if you don't want to. But _that._ That's the kind of thing that would make be proud to be your friend, you know. You're a lot nicer than you're given credit for."

There was another long silence before Harry got up off the couch and started towards the boys dorm. I watched him go, staring at him, not sure what to do or think. Harry started up the stairs.

"Harry," I called after him. Harry stopped and looked back at me. I paused, unsure for a moment, "You're… You're a lot nicer than _I've_ given you credit for, too…"

Harry gave me an awkward smile, "Goodnight, Charlotte."

"Goodnight Harry."

* * *

 **Hey everyone, time for another behind the scenes look at this chapter, because this one was fun.**

 **Honestly this was one of my favorite chapters to write so far because I think I got a little more back to the fact that they're all Eleven/ten years old and tried to make them all sound more immature, and I got to show a little bit of Hermione being the hero and some more of that Hermione/Charlotte friendship I love so much, and Draco and Charlotte's dynamic in this Chapter just made me really happy. Plus that little part at the end with Harry and Charlotte, kinda tied this all together.**

 **Anyway I kind of felt like I was writing the characters older than they were, because at you know they are all eleven, except for Charlotte who's the youngest at only ten. But anyway, I kinda started out writing them younger, especially with Charlotte and Alfie, who's friendship was very little kidish, like they argued and chased each other around and did that whole "Is not. Is too" thing. But like I felt I was getting away from that so I tried to tone it down a little with the maturity level, and feel free to let me know if I did okay with that or not. Leave a review and tell me what you think.**

 **As for Hermione, I kinda just felt like she needed an extra reason to follow the others and try so hard to get them to try and stay in the dorms, beyond just not wanting to lose points, and I thought this whole scenario was kinda cute, since Charlotte is like Hermione's only friend, Hermione wants to help her and follows the boys because she's so determined not to let Charlotte down, which I personally think is a Hermione thing to do because she really is a loyal friend, and since she doesn't have very many she'd try extra hard for Charlotte. And then Charlotte returns those feeling and is determined to see to it that Hermione doesn't get into any trouble because of her screw up, and is really freakin' honored that Hermione would do so much for her.**

 **Then as for Charlotte and Draco, I just like their dynamic in this chapter. I don't know if there's anything really significant I wanted to touch base on, but I just like the way they interact and talk with each other in this chapter. Rereading it it made me laugh, let me know what you guys think.**

 **Finally with Harry and Charlotte interaction in the end, this is where you're gonna kind of see Charlotte and Harry's rivalry come to an end and your gonna kind of see their friendship start to take form. I feel like it isn't a huge secret anymore that Charlotte going to be friends with the golden trio, since she'd already friends with Hermione and Ron. She is also going to be friends with Draco and his gang, but that won't stop her from being friends with the golden trio as well, and this is going to be the start of Charlotte realizing that Harry isn't like she thought he was and that he's really a sweet boy. So that makes me happy that I finally got to this point because I really wanna see Charlotte's friend group finally formed.**

 **Anyway, that's it for now, and I hope you enjoyed. As always I enjoyed writing it, and leave me a review telling me what you thought, and your predictions about what will happen next and everything like that and I will see you next time! Thanks for reading!**

 **With love, Piper-Audrey**


	12. On The Way to the Library

CHAPTER TWELVE: ON THE WAY TO THE LIBRARY

The next morning I was happier than I'd been in a long time. I walked into the dining hall, and since I couldn't see Draco at the Slytherin table I walked over to find Harry and Ron had saved me a seat. I took my seat and busied myself helping Ron finish his potions homework, last minute as always. Hermione bid me a good morning but sat with Neville across the table, undoubtedly still mad at the boys for last night's adventure.

To be perfectly honest, After what happened, I thought that Ron would be pretty angry with me still, and perhaps Hermione, as well. However, Hermione seemed to mainly blame the boys for what happened and I had a good feeling that Harry had told Ron that I'd taken the fall for Draco after he'd gone upstairs. He didn't say anything to suggest that, but somehow I knew that's what had happened. I wished Harry would have just kept it a secret but I guess it didn't really matter at this point.

"So if you're making the potion a double douse, how many ounces of Belladonna is that..?" Ron asked.

"Okay, first off, it's fluid ounces, not ounces. There is, in fact, a difference. And second off, it would be three and two fifths," I explained, "Here, just copy mine, you are never going to get this done in time."

Ron grinned as I slide my worksheet to him across the table, and scribbled down my answers furiously. Harry peered over Ron's shoulder, scanning my work from behind his glasses, and arching his brow at me after a moment or two, obviously impressed.

"Wow, your work looks like Hermione's during transfiguration," Harry said, "How long did this take you?"

"Maybe fifteen minutes," I shrugged, "It's not that hard. My sister taught me a lot about potions before school started, and besides, it's a lot like science. I'm good at science. At my old school we learned about the periodic table and we learned how to make compound substances and mixtures and it was a lot like this. We made Kool Aid in my class... Only my partner wouldn't stop pulling my hair, and I accidentally shattered our cup of Kool Aid with magic. The kid's face was stained red for a week."

Harry's raised an eyebrow, "What's Kool Aid?"

I laughed, "It's an American thing."

Ron elbowed us and nodded towards the door, "Look who it is."

Draco was standing in the doorway of the great hall starring in Harry Ron and my direction like he couldn't fathom the fact that Harry and Ron were still sitting there looking perfectly happy, huddled around me, and giggling about Kool Aid. I bite my lip awkwardly as he frowned narrowing his eyes at the two boy on my right.

I supposed Draco had expected his plan to work, and I bet it would have too if I hadn't messed it up, but hell if I was going to tell him that. My plan was to let Draco wonder, and come up with whatever scenario he wanted in his head, and just go with that. As far as I was concerned, I was just as clueless as my best friend. But whatever situation Draco came up with, it couldn't be any more crazy than what actually happened.

But as crazy as that night was, by the time morning came along Harry, Ron, and I all agreed that meeting that three-headed dog in the third floor corridor had been a pretty awesome adventure, and although I wasn't too keen on having another one, I could tell the boys weren't complete against the idea.

I sighed as Draco scowled and made his way to the Slytherin table. I sighed as Draco seemed to distract himself by snapping at Crabbe and Goyle. I turned back to the others as Harry started talking. "Hey, on the subject of last night, that dog. Hermione said it was guarding something, right? I think I have an idea about what the might be..."

Harry continued talking and filled Ron and I in on the package that seemed to have been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and when he stopped talking, we spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.

"It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.

"Or both," said Harry.

"But that's all we know," I complained, folding my arms around my chest, "It could be anything. There must be thousands of powerful magical items that need protecting right? Knowing where it came from doesn't really narrow down the pool of things it could be."

"It's true," Harry agreed.

I put my cheek in my hand and leaned on my elbow. There was no point in guessing what was in that package without more clues, so I put it out of my mind.

As for Neville and Hermione, neither of them seemed to care about what was in the trap door in the least. Not that I blamed them. All Neville wanted was to stay as far away from that dog as possible and as for Hermione she was focused on schoolwork as always and she'd told me as soon as I'd woken up that morning that she was refusing to speak to Harry and Ron. I'd told the boy's this but they had just smiled really wide and replied, "cool!"

I rolled my eyes at them. I doubted the three of them would ever get along...

* * *

Later Draco and I sat next to each other on tall wooden stools going through potion ingredients in Professor Snape's storeroom in the Tapestry Corridor. We sat taking vials off the shelves putting them back in alphabetical order, which was probably more exciting to me than it would have been to anybody else in the entire school. And that included Draco, who was sitting next to me, anyhow, and complaining bitterly about Harry and Ron. I simply nodded along.

"I just want to know how they did it!" Draco said, exasperated, "They're not that good. Merlin, they're not even clever. They must have had help. They're so daft they would have gotten caught on their own."

I smiled to myself. We did have help. We had Hermione, who had helped us all escape Filch by unlocking the door to the third floor corridor. Without her we definitely would have gotten caught. I replied, suppressing my smile, "They must have."

"Whatever," Draco sighed, "Harry's so smug, he'll get himself kicked out of school one of these days, I'm willing to bet on that- Do you have anymore 'A's over there?"

"Um," I looked through the vials in front of me, "I have Acromantula venom, and Angel's Trumpet. Here."

I passed him the vials.

"Wait a minute," Draco frowned, "Acromantula venom? This is some rare stuff! Merlin, this place... you can't get most of this stuff anywhere. You're godfather sure has some collection here."

"He sure does," I agreed, "He doesn't allow anyone else in here, ya know. He said not to tell anyone about this, so we better keep this a secret. Imagine if Snape let us come here more often, then this could be like, our secret hang out! Wouldn't that be cool?"

"It would be," Draco agreed, "We can just hide in here whenever Pansy starts talking about her hair."

I giggled.

"Yeah, so we definitely don't wanna mess this up," I eyed him, "and that means nothing leaves this room."

Draco frowned for a long moment, before taking a glass vial out of his pants pocket and placed it back on the shelf. I smiled and continued rearranging the potion ingredients.

"I never would have guessed that Snape was your godfather," Draco said after a while, "The way he acts it's hard to believe he has a soft spot for anyone. It's weird to think anyone would want him in charge of their kid."

"He's not so bad," I assured him, "I mean, sure he's hard on his students, but he just wants us to do well. He's been pretty great to me. I mean, he helps him with my homework when I need it and he lets me do cool stuff like this-" I waved around the potions storeroom, "-for extra credit work. I'm glad that he's my godfather."

"Yeah," Draco agreed, "I am too."

I smiled at that.

"I'm just surprised that I didn't ever meet him sooner," I sighed, "I mean, I love my adoptive parents, but I can't help but wonder what things would be like now if I was brought up here in England in a wizarding family, like you. I never would have been separated Bethany, and I'd know so much about magic. I could have been brought up as a proper pure-blood and heaven knows I never would have been teased in school."

"Yeah," Draco nodded, turning to me, "I heard Bethany was about to start her first year of Hogwarts when your parents… ya know..."

"Something like that..." I said, "I mean, I never met my parents, so I guess I don't think about it too much... Bethany told me that my parents passed away on my first birthday, although she hasn't ever been more specific than that… Heh, maybe the boys at my old school where right. My birthday really was cursed."

"What do you mean?" Draco asked, knitting his eyebrows in confusion, "Why would they say your birthday's cursed?"

"Ah, it's nothing," I shook my head, "It's just I was born on Halloween so they said I was cursed because of it... Stupid stuff like that..."

"Halloween?" Draco said, "That's not far from now, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't really think about it," I shrugged, "it's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" Draco smirked, "Lottie what's the point of having a birthday if you're not going to tell your friends so they can get you gifts?"

"Oh," I felt my cheeks heat up a little, "Well, I don't really want any gifts or anything."

Draco stared at me like I had just said I wished all the world happiness and joy would disappear into a fiery abyss.

"Don't be ridiculous," Draco said, "No, I'm getting you a gift. And it's going to be the best birthday gift you've ever gotten, Okay?"

I chuckled, "Really now? You don't really seem like the gift giving type Draco..."

"I'm not," Draco admitted, "But like my father always says, I'm a Malfoy, and when a Malfoy does something, they do it right, and they're _always_ the best at it."

I chuckled, "Well they you certainly are one hell of a Malfoy then, Draco."

"Why thank you," Draco said, giving me an awkward little bow from where he was perched on his stool and smiled. We locked eyes with one another for a moment before bursting out laughing and going back to sorting potion ingredients.

* * *

About a week later, when the mail came, Harry got a certain package from a certain professor, and it didn't do anything to improve Draco's mood when it came to the subject of Harry Potter.

That morning I had told Draco I was exchanging Charms notes with Hermione so I'd be sitting at the Gryffindor table during breakfast. Draco sighed exasperated, but didn't complain too much before going to sit with Crabbe and Goyle with the rest of the Slytherins. I still mostly sat at the Slytherin table, but it seemed I'd been visiting the Gryffindors more and more as time went on. I no longer hated the thought of calling it my house, although I still felt as though I belonged with Slytherin as well. I felt as though they were both my house. Like I was a Slytherdor, or a Gryfferin..? As soon as I thought that, I grinned, feeling silly.

I lifted my head up from Hermione and my notes when the mail arrived. As always, owls flooded into the Great Hall, and I was pleased when Abbey delivered me the potions ingredients I'd asked my sister for. I was working on completing an extra credit assignment for Snape and needed some supplies. I was pretty excited, especially since this project would boost my potions grade to the top of the class. Even above Hermione… But there was no way I was telling her that.

But even more than my potions ingredients, I had my eyes on a long, thin package carried by six large screech owls. I knew before it happened that the owls would drop it in front of Harry. Immediately I was reminded of what Professor McGonagall had said about getting Harry a broom, and I knew that's what it must be. But instead of feeling angry like before, I was surprised by how excited I was for him. If not a little worried...

Harry's widened his eyes in shock as another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel. I got up from my seat and joined Ron, Neville, Seamus, Dean, and a few of the other girls, all hovering around Harry as he ripped open the letter. In big green letters at the top it said:

 _DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE._

After reading those words Harry quickly cover the note and gave the others a look, making them disperse and go back to their conversations, realizing they weren't going to see what was in the package. That left only Ron and I leaning over Harry's shoulders.

"Is that what I think it is?" I asked Harry in a hushed tone.

Harry grinned a little, "I think so..."

Harry opened the letter back up and continued reading.

 _It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session._

 _Professor McGonagall_

Harry had a difficult time hiding his glee. I patted him on the back in congratulations, but while I was happy for him, I couldn't help remembering my last experience with broomsticks. I was still pretty shaken by the whole thing. I couldn't even touch one without feeling light-headed or queasy. I had written to my parents awhile back to get them to write me a note, excusing me from flying lessons, which they were more than happy to do since they didn't especially want me flying a broom anyway.

"A Nimbus Two Thousand..!" I said, trying to sound enthusiastic, but in my head, all I could think was _death trap_.

"They're the best broom out there," Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one. Imagine what you can do on that! You could probably fly as fast as some of the professionals on that thing! Imagine that, the wind in your hair, and going high enough to see the whole castle! The best part is the flip in you stomach when you come zipping back down…"

"Charlotte, are you okay? you look sick," Harry commented.

"I'm fine," I said, feeling light-headed.

"Come on, I wanna unwrap this as soon as possible!" Harry grinned, "Let's head back to the common room before breakfast is over. Charlotte, you coming?"

I felt strangely honored that I'd been invited, and nodded vigorously, hopping up from where I'd squeezed in between Harry and Dean on my other side. We left the hall quickly, but before we were halfway across the entrance hall we were stopped by Crabbe and Goyle who guarded the way upstairs.

Harry and Ron frowned, I waved.

"Hey Crabbe" I smiled, "Goyle. what's up guys?"

My two guy friends who had been shooting nasty sneers at Harry and Ron seemed to just then notice I was standing there, as well, and their expressions softened, smiling back at me, "Hey Charlotte."

Ron and Harry looked from the two boys and back to me, baffled expressions blatant on their faces. I supposed they weren't used to seeing the boys' docile side, but for me it was a day event, since they really were sweet boys.

But there wasn't time to dwell on it because a moment later, Draco showed up, seizing the package from Harry, shaking it slightly to find out what was inside, like a little kid would do with his Christmas presents. His face turned red with jealousy and spite.

 _Uh-oh_ , I sighed

"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to Harry, "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."

I sighed again, sensing a fight, _They are if they're allowed special permission,_ I thought but kept my mouth shut, since I had promised McGonagall to keep it a secret. However Ron couldn't resist.

"It's not any old broomstick," He said, "It's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned at Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."

I elbowed Ron in the ribs.

"Ow!" He complained, messaging his side.

"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Draco snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to save up twig by twig."

I elbowed Draco in the ribs.

"Ow!" He complained, as well, massaging his side.

I folded my arms across my chest, satisfied with my work.

Before Ron could answer retort to Draco's comment, Professor Flitwick appeared at Draco and my side, looking the six of us over.

"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked, looking at me, "and girl."

"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Draco, quickly. I wanted to facepalm but refrained. I wanted to keep Draco from embarrassing himself but couldn't. Instead I let him try and tell on Harry, to the two Gryffindor boys' great amusement.

"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"

"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sir," said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the look of horror on Draco's face. If I'm being completely honest I was trying awfully hard not to giggle myself. While Draco was my best friend, his facial expressions could be quite amusing at times, "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here that I've got it," Harry added.

This time I elbowed Harry.

"Ow!" He complained, joining the others, rubbing his side in pain.

Harry, Ron and I headed upstairs, and I clapped Draco on the shoulder apologetically, although I wasn't really sure what I was sorry for. Either way he looked so upset and confused I couldn't help but add in a quick, "Sorry Draco, I'll talk to you later," before following the boy upstairs. When I joined them, they were making no attempt to stifling their laughter at Draco's obvious rage and confusion.

"Well, it's true," Harry chortled as I joined them at the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall I wouldn't be on the team..."

"Yeah, yeah," I teased, "You're very clever, , but don't go teasing my best friend, okay? No matter how funny he looks when he's mad. Stop with the bragging, would ya, you dumb little seeker?"

I couldn't help but let out a giggle as I messed up Harry's hair, causing it all to hang in his eyes, and his glasses to hang sideways on his face. He let out a laugh and tried to blow how hair out of his face while keeping both hands on his broom.

"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" Came an angry voice from just behind us. Hermione was stomping up the stairs, looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's hand.

"Oh, hey Hermione," I said, more than a little intimidated by the look on her face. Her eyes were hard and her lips were drawn into a tight line. I had to admit, the girl was fierce when she wanted to be, which was impressive for such a small frizzy haired girl. I knew immediately that she was angry about the broom, just as I had been when I had first heard the idea of giving Harry his own broom.

"Come on, Hermione," I reasoned, "I'm sure Harry's learned his lesson, and he hasn't lost Gryffindor any points. In fact, he'll probably end up earning us a bunch this way on the Quidditch field."

"Besides, I thought you weren't speaking to us?" added Harry.

"Yes, don't stop now," said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."

I raised my arms to elbow them both but the two boys immediately backed away, more than a little afraid. _Good_ I thought, _elbowing seems effective._ I placed my hands on my hips proud.

Hermione marched away with her nose in the air.

* * *

After class, I joined Draco and the rest of the Slytherins in the clock-tower courtyard, where we gathered around the fountain, underneath the careful watch of several eagle statues with piercing stares. This was more of Ravenclaw study area than anything, but on warm days, the Slytherins and I liked to hang out here and soak up the sun. Well, all except for Draco, who would always slink into the shade, because he burned too easily.

But today Draco was to beside himself to worry about the shade and sat in the sun with the rest of us, arms folded across his chest, laying on his back, complaining bitterly, with his head on my lap. I nodded along to what he was saying, even though at this point he was just rephrasing past arguments.

"I mean, if they make exceptions for Potter, why not me?" Draco said, "Why not everyone? It's just because he's famous! They think he's so great, but he didn't do anything special. I could have caught that piece of rubbish with my eyes closed. I mean, you'd think you'd have to do more than that to get a broom as a first years, because I've done way more than that!"

"We know Draco, we know," Pansy groaned, fixing her hair in a compact mirror, "We heard the first seven times you said that."

"Oh, shut it Parkinson," Theo drawled, annoyed, "He's already ranting and angry, do you really want him ranting and angry _at us_?"

"Sorry, I don't recall us taking orders from weedy little rats like you, Nott," Pansy hissed.

"Come on guys," I scolded, "Be nice, I'm sure we can all get through one conversation without you guys fighting with each other. Let's try to be civil, hmm?"

I brushed a few hairs from Draco's eyes, as he scowled up at the others with cold gray eyes. I flipped the page of the book I was reading about modern female witches who were helping shape our modern society and how they inspired new ideas and innovations for the ministry. The others sighed reluctantly but ceased their arguing.

With that, Draco resumed his ranting.

"And you know the worst part of it?" He asked, giving me a pointed look, "I keep seeing you hanging around him! What's with that? I thought you hated him…"

"It's true," Pansy agreed, "What's with that? When did you become besties with Potter?"

"I didn't- I'm not!" I huffed, "I mean, he's obviously not my best friend but he's not bad..."

"Not bad?" Draco scoffed, lifting his head from my lap and sitting up, "He's the worst! Geez, All these Gryffindors you've been hanging out with are low lives!"

"So true," Pansy agreed, "You really have to be more careful about this stuff, Charlotte. We're only looking out for you. If too many people see you with people like them, it can really damage your reputation."

"For once, Parkinson is right," Blaise agreed, nodding.

"I mean, come on Lottie," Draco droned, "You're _Charlotte Cartwright,_ you can't just go around hanging out with people like-… like... that Granger girl for example."

"Hermione?" I asked, confused. But at this point, the Slytherins weren't really talking to me anymore, so no one heard me.

"She's a mudblood, isn't she?" Pansy asked, "I mean, I'd never be caught dead with a girl like that! Someone might think I was a muggle sympathizer!"

"A blood traitor," Blaise corrected her.

"Yeah," Draco agreed, "Like that red-headed Weasel. I can't imagine actually being friends with a prat like him. I'd sooner snap my wand in two."

"It's undignified, is what it is."

I didn't hang around to hear them finish the conversation. Instead I headed to the library to see if I could find Hermione, not that the others seemed to noticed. They were too busy trashing on my friends to notice I'd walked away. I mean, I love my friends and all, I just couldn't stand to hang around them when them were acting like this. I had to remind myself that that was just the way they were. It was how they had been raised, and as much as I hated it, I always made an effort to focus on the good in them.

I was a few doors away from the library when I bumped shoulders with another first year student passing by and my books went scattering across with floor with a smacking noise. I sighed and knelt down to gather my things once again.

"Charlotte?" A voice asked, and I froze.

Slowly I looked back up to meet the shining black eyes of Alfie Blackbourne, who was staring over the top of a heavy textbook on transfiguration. He gave me a small, nervous, smile. His long brown mop of hair pulled back, partially, into a messy half-ponytail. Unlike when I'd met him, in a pair of baggy jeans and an old ratty hoodie, the boy was now dressed in clean, neat robes, with a pristine blue and bronze tie around his neck, and a Ravenclaw crest displayed proudly on his robes.

I'd ran into Alfie already on the train, so I supposed it was bound to happen again sooner or later, but unfortunately I doubted that Draco would be saving me this time.

"Alfie..." I muttered, keeping my eyes turned downwards as I gathered my books and picked myself off the floor, considering trying to escape the situation quickly, but doubted the boy would let me.

"It's been awhile," Alfie crack a smile, "Can I ask you how things are going, or is your albino guard dog going to attack me again?"

"Draco's... busy right now," I frowned, "But I'd rather you not ask me how things are going anyhow."

"Aw, come on Lottie," Alfie sighed, "You're still mad at me?"

"Charlotte," I snapped at him, meeting his eyes with a glare, "It's Charlotte to you, mister. Only my best friend gets to call me Lottie and it clearly isn't you."

"Charlotte, Listen to me," Alfie begged, "I'm sorry alright! I shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that, but at the time I didn't see the harm in it. You got to meet your sister, I got some cash, no one got hurt. I needed the money for school supplies and textbooks, I told you, everything I do is so I can become a great wizard."

"What about a great person?" I asked, "How about even just a good one? That should be the important part shouldn't it!?"

"Yeah, because you're little rich boy, Malfoy, is just the epitome of human decency," Alfie shot sarcastically, waving his hand in the air to add a dramatic flair.

"At least he likes me for who I am," I growled, "And not just my money! At least Draco wanted to be my friend because he liked me, and not because I could offer him something..!"

Alfie scoffed, "That's debatable… Listen Charlotte, you're right, I know I was a stupid Prat. When I first met you all I wanted was your sister's reward money, and then I planned to hightail it out of there and hope you'd forget who I was. But that was before I found out how cool you were… I didn't think I'd actually enjoy hanging out with you… I- I didn't think that we'd actually become friends… And I messed it all up. I'm sorry."

I frowned staring back down at my feet.

"I-..." I sighed, "I don't know if I'm ready to forgive you yet… You were my first friend ever Alfie… You were the one person I thought actually understood me and it all turned out to be one big lie… I don't know if I can forgive that…"

"That…-" Alfie looked like he wanted to argue but in the end he sighed shaking his head, "-...sounds fair enough."

We stood in awkward silence for a moment, "Anyway, I should go… I mean, I was hoping to find Hermione in the library, she was pretty mad at my friends, Harry and Ron, earlier and I wanted to see how she was doing..."

"Oh, yeah, yeah," Alfie nodded, "She's in there, I was just talking to her. Although it wasn't about your friends, It was about Transfiguration… So, I'll see you around…?"

I nodded, "I'll see you around."

I was about to continue on my way when Alfie's voice caught me once more, "Oh Charlotte! There was something else I wanted to tell you about."

"Hmm?"

Alfie stepped in closer, lowering his voice, "That thing, whatever that dog is guarding in the third floor corridor, don't go looking for it, Charlotte. Stay away from there."

"Wait..." My mind was working overtime to process Alfie's words, but by time I managed to do so, the boy was already walking away. My face morphed into one of shock as I made sense of the Ravenclaw boy's words.

I would have gone after him too, if I hadn't been stopped by yet another voice coming from the opposite direction. This time it was Hermione's.

"Charlotte," Hermione called, walking over, "Are you alright? You look as though you'd seen a ghost… and, to be clear, I don't mean that literally. I'm starting to find that many wizards aren't that well versed in muggle similes."

I shook my head, "Sorry, er, yeah. I mean, I'm fine."

"Good," Hermione nodded, "Was that Alfie Blackbourne you were talking to just now? I didn't know you two knew each other. I met him on the train here. He's a bit of a genius, his marks are almost as high as mine."

I smiled at Hermione's blunt self-flattery.

"Yeah, I know him," I said, "He was the one who told me I was a witch. He delivered my Hogwarts letter to me personally. He's… er, well, he's really something, that's for sure..."

Hermione nodded, "Well, what did he say, just now?"

For a moment I considered telling Hermione that Alfie somehow knew what we'd done that night about a week ago, and didn't want us trying to find out what was hidden under the trapdoor at the dog's feet, but then again, Hermione didn't even care what the dog was hiding. All she wanted to do was forget the whole night ever happened, and bringing up some junk about how Alfie knew what had happened wouldn't do anything to help with that. She'd only end up stressing herself out more.

"Nothing," I said, "He didn't really say anything..."


	13. Trolls are Great at Birthday Parties

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: TROLLS ARE GREAT AT BIRTHDAY PARTIES

It was crazy to believe that a whole two months had flown by since I first arrived at Hogwarts, but I was forced to face the truth when the cold fall breeze moved in, forcing me to wear my cozy red and gold Gryffindor scarf to and from classes. It cold enough outside but the castle, however, felt warm in more than one way, as I grew more and more accustomed to life as a witch, surrounded by friends of my own kind.

Draco, for all his faults, was still my best friend and I spent most of my time with him talking and gossiping and sharing jokes. The only difference was, now he had to share a bit of that time with Ron and Harry, whom I hung out with during, and after, Harry's quidditch practices and during classes. And of course I made time to study and talk with Hermione in the girls dorms and in the library, although she was still getting used to the idea of having friends herself.

I was lucky to have Hermione as a study partner as well, because now that we'd all mastered the basics, our lessons were picking up. Hermione, however, always seemed to be on the top of her game, and never turned down someone asking for her help. In fact, she often seemed honored by the gesture. I was grateful to have her. But it wasn't until Halloween that I found out just how grateful I could be to have her around.

You see, since my birthday and Halloween always fall on the same day you'd think this to be a pretty sweet deal, right? I mean, free candy on your birthday? Who wouldn't want that?

Me, that's who.

First of all, when you have a birthday on a major holiday, that holiday will always overshadow your birthday. So instead of sharing birthday cupcakes with the whole class on my special day, everyone's too busy playing Skeleton Ring Toss to care. And by the time the teachers do remember and pass them out, it's the end of the day, and everyone gets to eat theirs on the bus ride home.

Second of all, as I'd already explained to Draco, of all the holidays you could be associated with, Halloween is probably not the best. Especially for a witch like me. I mean, everyone hated me because bad things happened around me, so the whole Halloween thing really just became more bullying material for the boys at my school. By the end of the 3rd grade everyone thought I was cursed.

So, no matter how many times I told myself things were different at Hogwarts, I still only told Draco about my eleventh birthday.

That morning I woke and the delicious smell of baking pumpkin was already wafting into the first year girl's dormitory in the Gryffindor Tower. As always, I sat up to find myself the last person out of bed, and as always Hermione was standing by her bed, pretending to be busy so she could wait for me.

"I was just checking my answers on the Homework," She explained, "But you should hurry up before breakfast is over. I don't want to be late for Charms."

I threw on my robes quickly and followed Hermione out the door.

When we reached the great hall, I scampered over to the Slytherin table, surprised to find Draco's seat empty. It wasn't normal for Draco to be late. He often bragged to me how "Malfoys are always punctual." I sat down next to Pansy who was reading a brightly colored magazine

"Good morning, Pansy," I said, "Have you seen Draco yet this morning?"

"Good morning," Pansy said, quickly, "No I haven't seen him yet, I'm pretty sure he's still asleep. He got to bed pretty late last night. But anyway, forget that. I have a bone to pick with you, Missy."

Pansy shoved her magazine in my face. I squinted, having to lean back in order to see the front cover clearly. When I finally did get a good look at the picture, I was face to face with the moving picture of my sister, dressed in bright purple robes and laughing with another blonde woman in green robes and glasses. I raised my eyebrow at Pansy, confused. It wasn't uncommon for my sister to be featured in magazines and newspapers. She was famous after all...

"It's Bethany..." I said, not sure what I was supposed to be looking at here.

"It's not just Bethany!" Pansy said, putting the magazine away from my face and flipping it open, "It's what the article is saying about her! Well, actually, it's not about what they're saying about her, at all, the whole interview is about you!"

"What!?"

Pansy passed me the article and scanned it over.

 _The world's favorite potions master, Bethany Cartwright, sat down with me Saturday night to talk about a subject she'd been rather quiet about until now: Her younger sister, Charlotte. The two sisters have just recently been reunited after spending nearly ten years an ocean apart. Charlotte, now a first year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, seems to have a bright future ahead of her, based on the confident words of her sister._

 _"Charlotte is exceptionally brilliant," boasts Bethany, "She's so talented even I'm blown away by her sometimes. She's one of the top students in her year and I keep hearing from the school about what a out-standing potion maker she is."_ _After being asked if Charlotte will be following her sister into her line of word, as a professional potions master and developer, Bethany admits that "It's definitely possible for Charlotte to do so, but Charlotte's options don't stop end there"_

 _And they certainly don't. Along with potions, Charlotte also has extraordinary musical talent as well, according to her vocal coach, famous singer and performer, Celestina Warbeck, otherwise known as The Singing Sorceress. When asked about her young_ _protege, Madam Warbeck raved about the young witches ability to captivate an audience with only her voice. "The girl has a gift," Warbeck says, "And it's not just her voice, either, she can play any instrument you give her, the girl has a promising music career ahead of her."_

Pansy pulled the article away and scowled at me, "I can't believe you didn't tell me _Celestina Warbeck_ was your vocal coach! You didn't even tell me you could sing!"

"That's because I'm not that good," I said, modestly, "Honest. They're exaggerating! Madam Warbeck isn't even my vocal coach, not really. Bethany heard I was in the school choir back at my old school and paid for me to have two sessions with her over the summer, that's all."

"Uh-huh" Pansy said, folding her arms across her chest unbelieving, "And what about _this_?"

Pansy flipped to the next page of her magazine and passed it back to me. I looked down at the page Pansy had flipped the magazine open to, a large moving picture present on the paper before me. I felt the blood drain from my face as I realized what the picture was of.

It was a picture of Draco and I from that time we had done extra credit in Snape's storeroom, sitting atop those large wooden stools. I could see the tiny picture version of myself turn a deep shade of red and laugh as Draco told me how he planned to get me the best birthday gift I'd ever gotten, although you couldn't make out what he was saying in the picture. I read the writing underneath the picture.

 _Charlotte's many talents aren't the only thing that make her interesting, however. Perhaps her most fascinating development so far has been her association with the young Draco Malfoy. According to an anonymous source the two are inseparable, spending the majority of their time at school with one another, sharing endearing moments as seen above. It might be too early to say, but it's possible that what we're looking at here is young love!_

My cheeks instantly turned a deep shade of red. Pansy quickly pulled the article away from my grip on it became so tight that I crinkled the paper. She raised an eyebrow at me, awaiting an explanation, but honestly I didn't have one. How had someone managed to take my picture in the storeroom with Draco? I had been sure that we were alone, and besides that who was this 'Anonymous source' who was saying that we were in love!?

"So, Cartwright" Pansy drawled, teasingly, "Is it true? Are you and Draco in love?"

"God, love!? No way! Draco and I were just friends! Friends! I would never think of dating him," I shook my head.

"Why not?" Pansy asked, raising an eyebrow. I paused. I didn't really have an answer to that. It wasn't as if I disliked Draco, since he was my best friend, and I cared about him more than anyone else at school. He was sweet to me a lot of the time as well, even if he could be a pain, and It certainly wasn't due to his looks, either because Draco was admittedly handsome.

But really, I didn't want to date anyone! That was gross and the thought of kissing or holding hands made my head spin! (Although now that I though of it, me and Draco had held hands more than a couple times before...) Just the thought of doing that kind of thing with anyone, Draco or not, made my stomach knot up, uncomfortably. I was was only turning _eleven years old_ that day! I was way to young to think about a boyfriend!

Pansy laughed, shaking her head and lifting a hand to place it comfortingly on my shoulder, "Relax Charlotte, I'm only teasing! I know you're not in love with Draco. I bet this 'anonymous source' is just some stupid upperclassmen playing a prank or something, I mean, come on, It's just a silly magazine story! Although I do fully intent to make you sing for me."

I sighed in relief at the premise Pansy offered me, I smiled a little at her, "Thanks Pans, you're probably right..."

"Of course I am!" Pansy smiled, her eyes suddenly turning upwards to gaze past me, "Ah speak of the devil! Morning, Draco!"

I turned around sharply, to gaze upwards at Draco as he wandered over. Perhaps it was just the article that had me thinking about it, but for some reason my cheeks turned bright red as I watched Draco stretch his arms above his head, yawning, and he take his seat next to me. I remembered vaguely thinking Draco looked like a prince out of some fairy tale when we first met, but had he always had he always had such pretty gray eyes?

"Lottie?,"Draco asked, locking eyes with me, his eyebrow arching slightly, "Are you alright..? You look... red. Do you need to see madam Pomfrey or something?"

I opened my mouth to speak but the words died in my throat.

"Don't worry, Draco, she's fine," Pansy assured him, leaning over slightly, noticing my distress. She smirked covering her mouth from the side with her hand and whispering, "Charlotte's just having a bit of boy trouble, as of late."

I restrained myself from smacking her, turning an even darker shade of red and fixing Pansy with an embarrassed glare, "Pansy!"

"Boy trouble?" Draco asked, looking troubled as knitting his eyebrows together, "What do you mean boy trouble?"

"She's in loooove- mhhhmmmmhmh!" Pansy drawled teasingly before I could jump in and cover her mouth with my hand.

I laughed nervously, looking back at Draco, totally panicked, "Nothing! She means nothing at all! I am _not_ having boy trouble, okay!" I insisted, shooting Pansy a glare, slowly letting her mouth go, taking a deep breath and sinking down in my seat.

"Did she just say you were in love...?" Draco asked, looking confused and, for some reason, troubled by Pansy's statement.

"No..?" I half said, half asked, hoping Draco would buy it.

He gave me a long hard look, before knitting his eyebrows and shaking his head at me, "Whatever, never mind..."

I sighed in relief when Draco dropped the subject and turned away from me to grab some breakfast off the table, only to take a few bites of it before growing bored of it. I was always nagging him about how he never eats. His dietary habits were terrible... I mean, sure he ate sweets and snacks, but when it came to mealtimes he was never hungry. Mostly because he'd already ruined his appetite with sweets and snacks! But really, He was an eleven year old boy living without his parents for the first time, what else did I expect? It's not as if Harry or Ron were any better. But neither of them were my _best_ friend, so if they wanted someone to nag them about their eating habits, they were just going to have to nag each another.

I watched as Draco took a quick look around at the other Slytherins at the table, as if making sure they weren't paying attention, which, fortunately, they weren't. Once Pansy had grown bored of teasing me she had gone back to reading her magazine and across from us Blaise and Theo talked casually about some book Theo had recommended Blaise read. Meanwhile, Crabbe and Goyle, were, well eating, being the only two boys I knew who's apipitites were never ruined, and on Draco's other side, Daphne Greengrass, Millicent Bullstrode, and Tracy Davis were all gossiping about some of the girls in the other houses.

Satisfied that nobody was paying attention, Draco reached into the pocket of his robes and dug out a small box, which he placed in front of me wordlessly. I stared down at the package in surprise. It was small. No bigger than the palm of my hand, and wrapped messily in green paper with a bit too much tape, and a silver ribbon. There was a small card attached the the top where Draco had scribbled his name elegantly under the word 'from'.

After a moment Draco spoke up again.

"They were specially made for you," He said, his cheeks turning slightly pink, "I wrote to my mom awhile back, and she talked to a couple friends of hers to get them made in time. They just came in last night. But anyway, don't... ya know, open it now. I don't want people to think I get gifts for just anyone on their birthday. It's a bit of a girly thing to do if you ask me… But, ya know, Happy Birthday."

I stared at him for a moment, making sense of his ramblings, before breaking out into a grin and realizing this must be the birthday present Draco had promised me. The one he had assured me would be the best I'd ever gotten. I giggled and hugged Draco tightly. I was about to lean over and place a kiss his cheek as well, as I often did when Draco did something exceptionally sweet for me, but then I remembered Pansy's article and thought better of it, turning red once more and releasing Draco from the hug.

"Thanks Draco… this is really... wow... I- thanks!" I said quietly, exceedingly touched by the gift, and once again extremely honored to think of Draco Malfoy as a friend.

* * *

I examined the small box in my hand for the billionth time as I exited the great hall and joined the rest of the Gryffindors on the way to class. I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face or the giggle that I let slip, as I felt my heart flutter in my chest with anticipation. I couldn't believe Draco had actually gotten me a birthday present..! I couldn't wait to open it, but I managed to refrain until I was safely inside the charms classroom.

As soon as I wandered into the classroom, Hermione spotted my grin and eyed me suspiciously. I took my seat next to Hermione, seated directly behind Ron and Harry, whom turned around in their seats with curiosity as they caught wind of the soft tone I was singing under my breath. I set my stuff down on the table, hanging my book bag on the back of my chair and sitting down humming a tone under my breath. I set Draco's box in my lap, clasping it with both hands in order to shield it from the view of Hermione and the others.

"Is there so particular reason you've been acting strangely cheerful ever since you left breakfast this morning?" Hermione asked, an eyebrow arched curiously at me, "And by any chance does it have something to do with that package your trying to hide?"

I couldn't help but laugh. Of course, I should have know it was a foolish endeavor to hide anything from Hermione. I took the messily wrapped package from my lap and place it on the table. Hermione's eyes fixed on it, examining it as thought it were a puzzle she were trying to solve. I looked up slightly, surprised to find Harry and Ron doing the same thing. Harry looked up at me as though I had just placed a severed head on the table in front of him, and not just a box decorated in Slytherin colors, "Um, Charlotte, What is that..?"

"It's-... It's nothing really," I said, eyebrows knit in confusion over their interest in the package, "...Why do you ask..?"

"No reason, It's just odd... I mean, It's not exactly like Malfoy to just _give out_ gifts," Harry said. Ron took a page out of my "dealing with boys" rule book and elbowed Harry in the ribs. I leaned in across the table and gave the boys a long look.

"I never said it was from Draco..." I said, narrowing my eyes. The boys gave each other an awkward glance and I suddenly widened my eyes in realization, sitting up and away from them once again, "Oh my god, you two were spying on me!?"

"Okay, but to be fair, can it really be considered spying if you were only three tables away?" Harry asked, hopefully.

I groaned burying my face in my right hand in frustration.

"Now that we're being open on the subject, can I just say," Ron piped in, "That you and Draco are way to close. It's disgusting really. Do you have to hug every five seconds? I mean, it's right in my line of sight and it give me the creeps."

I shoot him a glare, "Not now, Weasley"

"I told you two she wouldn't appreciate your eavesdropping," Hermione said, in an 'I-told-you-so' voice. Ron and Harry both shot her an angry look.

"Ugh, never mind," I shook my head. The whole thing simply wasn't worth getting mad over if it meant creating another fight between the three of them.

"But seriously," Harry said, turning away from Hermione, "What's the deal? This is Malfoy we're talking about here. He isn't exactly known for his generosity and it's not like people normally give out gifts on Halloween, unless it's a wizard thing..?" He turned to Ron curiously.

"No, we don't give out presents, either," Ron shook his head, "Although Fred and George like to give out packs of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. Only they pick out all the decent ones, so you end up getting things like chili pepper or frog legs..."

Harry made a face in disgust before turning back to me, "Yeah, so it's definitely not that. So why _did_ Malfoy get you something?"

"Okay, nosy," I said, haughtily, "If you really must know, Draco, despite how _cripplingly stingy_ he is, insisted upon getting me a birthday present for today, so that's what's in the package. Happy now?"

My friends stared at me wide eyes, looking so shocked I began to think that perhaps I had done something terribly wrong until Harry spoke up.

"Wait, it's your birthday!?" Harry asked, "And you didn't tell us?"

I blinked, furrowing my brow slightly, "Um, I didn't see any real reason to… It's not a big deal or anything..."

"And yet you told Malfoy but not us?" Ron asked, looking at me with with a mixture of annoyance and indignity on his face, "Just because we aren't hanging over you like a bloody bat all day doesn't mean we're not your friends as well, you know."

"For once he's actually right about something," Hermione agreed arms folded across her chest. I turned to her, surprised to hear her actually agreeing with with Ron on something, "We want to celebrate your birthday with you just as much as Malfoy."

I looked over the faces of my friends once more, all three of them frowning at me with insulted looks on their faces. It was a bit bizarre to me, but I couldn't help but think that it was also oddly endearing that they cared so much about something as silly as my birthday. I shook my head at them, failing to hold in a chuckle. These three were pretty ridiculous, but at the same time incredibly sweet. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't think you'd care too much.. If it makes you feel any better, I didn't mean to tell Draco either. It just kind of slipped out, and he insisted on getting me something. It's not a big deal."

" _Malfoy_ insisted on doing something _for someone else_?" Ron asked, shocked, "The way the guy acts I would have thought doing something considerate would make him burst into flame. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem as though we're that lucky."

I rolled my eyes at him, and decided to ignore the comment, just this once, but still tossing out a sarcastic little: "Ha-ha very funny."

"Well, go on," Ron said, "Open it. I wanna see what a Malfoy actually thinks counts as a gift."

I shrugged, excited myself as to see what was inside. From what Draco had said, it sounded pretty amazing. I sat down in my seat once more and picked up the packages carefully, struggling to peel away the wrapping paper with all the tape. When I finally did, I carefully set down the small wooden box that had been inside. The box was laced with intricate carvings all around the edges and across the top, my nickname 'Lottie' had been carved in big loopy letter.

The others leaned in a little eyeing the detail that had been put into the box alone. It was painfully obvious that whatever it was that Draco had gotten me, it was expensive and it didn't go unnoticed to me the hint of jealousy from my friends, although I wasn't sure if the jealousy was pointed towards my receiving the gift, or the money Draco had access to in order to get the gift for me in the first place.

Delicately I opened the box revealing it's red velvet lined insides. Placed carefully in the center, gleaming prettily in the castle lights, was a pair of golden earrings. They were exquisitely crafted, so ever detail drew your attention to the two shiny pieces of jewelry. It was hard not to stare... But that inability to tear your eyes from the trinkets, wasn't just due to how beautiful they were. It was mostly due to the fact that the earrings had been shaped to look like Gryffindor crests. You could make out every hair in the lion's mane, and my eyes transfixed on the creature eyes, which had been made out of tiny blood red rubies. My eyes widened in amazement. I was only pulled out of my awe by the sound of Ron's voice as he piped up once more.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Ron said, holding up his hands in an obvious 'time-out' motion, "You're telling me that _Malfoy_ got you earrings with the _Gryffindor_ crest on it? That makes no sense, Malfoy _hates_ Gryffindor! Besides I thought you said he calls you an 'honorary Slytherin', or something stupid like that."

"It's not stupid!" I said, shooting him a glare, only to soften again when I realized that he _did_ have a point there, "But you're right, it does seem a little odd."

I reached out with an index finger, hesitant to actually touch the earrings. They just looked so perfect... I was almost scared that my touch would somehow ruin them. However I ignored the thought, telling myself that was silly as I reached out and ran my finger gently along the metal's edge. I nearly jumped out of my skin when my finger touched the earring, because the moment my skin made contact with the metal, the piece of jewelry began to lose it's color, changing from a glittering gold to a shiny silver. I pulled my hand away quickly worried I had somehow destroyed the lovely earring, but the moment I pulled my hand away the metal returned to it's shimmering golden color, "Whoa! Did you see that?"

"See what?" Harry asked.

I touched the earring again, and once again the earring changed it's coloring to a shiny silver color. The mighty lion that stood inside the crest began to morph into the shape of a snake, just as elegantly crafted as the lion, with bright emerald eyes. The writing on the crest changed as well, morphing to spell out the word 'Slytherin', rather than 'Gryffindor', leaving me with a earrings of the Slytherin crest instead. I didn't know if Draco had planned it this way, or it was just my imagination, but the earrings seemed to be made to reflect certain aspects of myself. Just like the earrings, I was very much Gryffindor-like, but underneath, I had more than a few cunning Slytherin tricks under it's sleeves. Or at least I thought I did... But regardless, Draco was right, it was the best birthday present ever. I could tell, however, from the looks on Harry, Ron and Hermione's face, that I was the only one who thought so.

I shrugged and put them on anyway.

Everyone in the class fell silent when Professor Flitwick walked into the room, and Harry and Ron were forced to turn around and pay attention while I took my seat and got out a quill and paper. It wasn't even two minutes into class before the Professor announced that we were deemed ready to start making objects fly. The rest of the students grinned and began whispering excitedly among one another. I understood the excitement, I'd been dying to try myself, ever since Professor Flitwick had made Neville's toad go flying around the classroom.

The Professor then put us into pairs to practice, and that was when the day started going south, really quickly...

I was hoping to be paired with Hermione like we usually were, since we sat right next to each other, but instead I'd been put with Neville. It wasn't as if that was the bad part though. I was just fine being paired up with Neville, he was after all one of my favorite housemate. No, I was cool with who I was paired up with, It was Hermione I was worried about. She was to be working with Ron and from the bitter expression she had on I could tell he was extremely unhappy about it.

I could already sense a disaster coming on.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too- never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Neville didn't seem to feel at all prepared to try and get the feather off our desk and stared down at our feather dejectedly. I patted his shoulder and tried to reassure him but even after a quick pep talk he was still staring down at the fluffy white feather as if it were an angry bull and someone had told him to ride it. Still, I let him go first knowing he'd get the hang of it if he practiced it a few times. Although, admittedly, it was proving rather difficult.

I was distracted a few moments later from helping Neville with our feather when I heard Harry, in front of us, gasp and jump back after Seamus had impatiently prodded their feather with his wand, setting it on fire. I shook my head slowly as Harry frantically batted the flames away with his red and gold Gryffindor hat.

I took the moment to gaze around to the other students in the room, mainly Hermione who I could see out of the corner of my eyes, glaring at Ron who was swinging his arm like the pitcher of a baseball team. Hermione neither looked impressed or amused as he shouted "Wingardium Leviosa!" dramatically, as if this stern tone of voice he was using would convince the feather to obey him.

"You're saying it wrong," Hermione finally snap, after dodging his spinning arm and pushing him away from her. I could already tell things weren't going to be going well for those two, Hermione put on her best teacher voice and gave Ron a superior look, "It's Win _gar_ dium Levi _o_ sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

I knew how much Ron hated feeling inferior, and it clashed horribly with Hermione's somewhat condescending tendencies, so I wasn't suprised when Ron turned to her furiously and snapped, "You do it, then, if you're so clever!"

I sighed, immediately knowing that that was the wrong thing to say to Hermione freakin' Granger. I'd learned forever ago to never challenge the girl's unless you actually _wanted_ her to best you. Hermione's eyes brightened at the challenge as she rolled up the sleeves of her gown. She effortlessly flicked her wand, and recited the line, "Wingardium Leviosa!" loud and clear.

Immediately the feather in front of her rose off the desk and hovered about four feet in the air. I shook my head, knowing, of course, this would be the outcome. But that didn't do anything to stop the jealous glares being tossed Hermione's way from the rest of the class. None of them as fierce as Ron's, though.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

It was obvious by the end of the class that Ron was in a terrible mood. I gathered my things, shoving them in my school bag and followed Hermione out of class, situating the bag's shoulder strap over my shoulder. We were a couple of steps behind the boys but still, we were close enough to hear what they were saying, especially since Ron's complaints were loud enough for the whole castle to hear them.

"She's mental, I say! I have no idea how Charlotte puts up with her. The girl's lucky she does, she'd have no friends otherwise! Nobody else can stand her!" Ron was saying as Harry and him pushed their way into the crowded corridor. I was about to give him a sharp jab with my elbow and tell him to knock it off, but instead I noticed Hermione had slowed to a stop. Her face was red, and I could tell she was trying hard to hold back her tears. Ron, not having noticed either of us standing only inches away, continued absentmindedly, "She's a nightmare, honestly."

"Hermione?" I asked, cautiously, reaching to put a tentative hand on her shoulder just as the first tear rolled down her cheek. Hermione's lip trembled as she pushed past me, wordlessly, knocked into Harry and Ron as she hurried past. I couldn't help but feel that second-hand sense of heartbreak, that I was sure Hermione was feeling right now. I tried to go after her, but stopped myself, knowing that Hermione probably wanted to be alone.

"I think she heard you." I heard Harry note, who was standing to my left, staring off in the same direction I was.

"So?" I heard Ron say.

I turned to the boys furiously.

"So!?" I growled at the red-headed boy, my face red with anger, "So! Ugh, I can't believe you! Ya know you can be a real arse sometimes, Weasley! How could you say that stuff about her? Just because she showed you up in class!? She's a nice girl, it's not her fault she got the spell right when you couldn't! Do you even know what that feels!? Getting be picked on all the time and to having barely any friends?! Obviously you don't because you never would have said those rotten things about her if you did!"

Ron's cheeks turned red, obviously having a hard time finding the words to respond. However he must not have looked hard enough, because when he opened his mouth, all that came out was a meek, "Well, It's not my fault. She must've noticed she's barely got any friends…"

I let out an aggravated "Ughhhh!", shaking my head in disgust before turning away from the two. I was usually pretty tolerant of Ron, but there were some things I just couldn't stand, and making fun of my friends like that was one of them. Especially when it came to Hermione. The girl reminded me too much of myself at my old school, I couldn't just stand by and let another girl be treated the way I had, that's why was why I just _had_ to be angry with Ron. There was not way I could let him get away with saying something so awful... And with that, I marched off away in the direction Hermione had ran off in, wanting to make sure she was okay.

* * *

It was getting late, and it almost time for the Halloween feast so I had no choice but to make my way down to the Great Hall with Parvati Patil, who had been in the girls' bathroom with me trying to convince Hermione to come out from the bathroom stall she had locked herself in. Unfortunately, we hadn't had much success, and were finally forced to leave her where she was. I promised, however, that I would come and check on her later before leaving the bathroom.

Lavender Brown, joined us outside the bathroom and looked at us, eyebrow raised and arms folded across her chest, part of me had the feeling she was just in this for the gossip but I didn't want to get lost either, so I didn't protest. "Well? What happened?"

"She's in there, crying still," Parvati said, sulking, "She wouldn't even come out of the stall. Poor thing… She said she wanted to be left alone…"

I shook my head, sighing, feeling even worse for Hermione after hearing her crying in the bathroom. I knew it couldn't be helped, but still, I felt bad leaving her there all alone. reluctantly I followed Lavender and Parvati to the Grand hall.

As soon as we entered the Great Hall, I was rendered speechless by the Halloween decorations. It was more that impressive, with a thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling, while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter.

The other girls and I entered the hall just as the feast appeared, displayed on pretty golden plates out on each Houses' table, just as it had at the start-of-term banquet.

I spied Harry and Ron sitting at the Gryffindor table, and marched over, still angry with them about what had happened. They caught my eyes as I placed my hands on my hips and shooting them a glare.

"Well," I snapped "I hope you're happy."

Ron opened his mouth to respond but before he could there was a loud bang and the whole hall dropped into silence as Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and a terrified look on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped, "Troll- in the dungeons- thought you ought to know."

And with that, the man then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was an uproar, and people started talking and shrieking so loud I couldn't even get a grip on my own thoughts. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

With the quiet I could collect my thoughts. I didn't know what a Troll was exactly, but I had a few ideas, and none of them were good. My first thought was to make sure Draco was okay, but I could already see him being escorted out of the Great Hall by some of the Slytherin prefects, sticking close to the other Slytherins, and his right hand on his wand, just in case. I knew the rest of his house would make sure he was okay, so there was no need to worry.

I turned my head back to the Gryffindors as, Ron's brother, Percy spoke up.

"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!" I had no choice but to follow, walking closely behind Harry and Ron.

There were worried mummers rippling through the crowd of first years, but I was more focused on the sickly feeling in my stomach telling me that something was very wrong...

"How could a troll get in?" I heard Harry asked, as he climbed the stairs. I found myself wondering the same thing but quickly pushed the thought aside and continued to search my brain for whatever the source of the sickly feeling was.

"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."

We passed a few different groups of people hurrying in different directions and I looked around me, in search of that one thing, whatever it was, I knew I was forgetting. It wasn't until we passed a Hufflepuff girl with frizzy brown hair that it clicked. I stopped in my tracks feeling the blood drain from my face and grabbing Harry and Ron by the shoulders, yanking them backwards.

"Hermione!" I hissed at them, urgently.

"What about her?" Ron asked.

"She's still in the bathroom because of you, dimwit!" I hissed, "She doesn't know about the troll! You two have to come with me to go get her!"

Ron chewed his lips in reluctance.

"Ron!" I growled, "You actually have to think about this!?"

"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us."

Ducking down as to not be seen, the three of us joined a group of Hufflepuffs going other way, before slipping down a deserted side corridor and running off in the direction of the girl's bathroom. We finally slowed when we approached a corner and listened, as I heard quick footsteps behind us.

"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling Harry and I behind a large stone griffin. As I peered around it, however, it wasn't Percy that had followed us. Instead I was shocked to see my godfather turn the corner and gaze around lazily. Snape crossed the corridor and disappeared from view as quickly as he's appeared, leaving Harry, Ron and I to stare after him in wonder.

"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the rest of the teachers?"

"Search me." Ron said, obviously suspicious.

"He must be making sure everyone made it back to the dorms safely," I reasoned, refusing to even consider the other possibilities the boy's suspicious faces were suggesting.

As Quietly as possible, I crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps, with Harry and Ron no more than a step or two behind. Harry, Ron, and I peer around the corner to watch Snape walking away down a familiar corridor.

"He's heading for the third floor," Harry said, but before he could finish his thought, Ron held up his hand.

He looked at the two of us, nervously, "Can you smell something?"

Harry and I sniffed the air. I was shocked when my nose was met with the most foul stench I'd ever had the misfortune of smelling in my life. It was like some awful mixture of old socks and gas station bathroom.

But all thoughts of the smell disappeared from my brain when I heard the noise- A low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of gigantic feet. I felt my heart beating in my throat as my eyes followed to where Ron was pointing- At the end of a passage to our left, something huge was moving toward us. I squeaked and pulled the boys into the shadows with me and watched as the beast emerged into a patch of moonlight.

At least now I knew what a Troll was... and it was the ugliest thing I'd ever seen in my life.

The thing was easily twelve feet tall, with dull, granite gray, skin. It's great lumpy body looked like a boulder with its small bald head perched on top of it's shoulders like a lumpy gray coconut with ears. It had short legs that were as thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet. What was worse was that it was armed with a massive wooden club in his big meaty fists. He dragged the club along with him so it scraped against floor with a horrible scratching sound.

The troll paused for a moment, stopping next to a doorway and peered inside. The thing waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, before slouching slowly into the room.

"The keys in the lock," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in."

"Good idea," said Ron nervously.

The boys edged toward the open door. I followed behind with a dry mouth, praying the Troll wouldn't come out of the room and see them. With one great leap, Harry managed to grab the key, slam the door, and lock it.

"Yes!" Flushed with their victory, the two boys started running back up the passage.

But I stood there unable to move as I stared up at the wooden door in front of me. Without a single thought in my mind, all I could do was mutter: "Oh shit..." Followed by the petrified scream I'd been waiting for, coming directly from the chamber in front of me.

The room the boy's had just chained up, just so happened to be the girls bathroom...

"Hermione!" I gasped, getting a hold of myself and banging on the door, helplessly. I mentally cursed, knowing that Harry had taken the key with him when he'd run off. I was worried they wouldn't but luckily enough, the boys sprinted back to the door and Harry stabbed the key into the lock and turned it quickly, fumbling in his panic. Finally he pulled the door open and we ran inside.

Hermione was shrinking, pressed up against the wall opposite, looking as if she were about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went. In no time at all the thing would be on her and she'd be dead with a single swing from that club.

Without a second thought I dashed to the other side of the room to where Hermione was standing, ducking between the Trolls short little legs to get through. I grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled up away from the monster, although there wasn't really anywhere to go. It was only then, looking up at the monstrous beast, that realized, I had absolutely no plan. Now I was just as dead as my friend…

Unable to think of anything else to do, I hugged Hermione, in a vain attempt to shield her from the attack and prayed that we'd survive. And that pray probably would have gone unanswered, despite my best efforts to protect my friend, if it hadn't been for Harry's quick thinking.

"Confuse it!" Harry shouted to Ron desperately, seizing a tap and throwing it as hard as he could against the wall. The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione and me and lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. It's mean little eyes focused in on Harry, and with the thing distracted I could see an opening for escape. I grabbed Hermione's arm dragged her to the other side of the room, half-running, half-tripping.

The only problem was now the troll was making it's way towards Harry, in anger. His only way of escape had been blocked by one of the smashed sinks. I watched in horror as the Troll lifted its club and aimed it at Harry. I searched the ground, picking up a metal pipe and hurling it at the monster as Ron shouted, "Oy, pea-brain!"

The troll didn't even seem to notice when pipe hit its shoulder, but it seemed to hear Ron's yell loud and clear. It paused again, turning it's ugly snout toward the rest of us instead, menacingly. Hermione let out another shriek and the trolls turned it's tiny hear in all directions, agitated.

It was then I realized that the shouting and echoing of the bathroom seemed to be driving the troll berserk. Quickly I came up with a plan and joined Ron in his yelling until the thing roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest. He had no way of escape and I covered my eyes and shrieked along with Hermione, expecting the worst to come next.

But then Harry did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck from behind. When I looked up, my mouth opened wide in shock and horror.

The troll didn't seem to feel Harry hanging there, but he did seem to notice when Harry stuck a long bit of wood up its nose. Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him to pieces and I tried to think of something, anything, I could do to save him.

Hell if I was going to be the person responsible for getting Harry freakin' Potter killed by a Troll!

But to my surprise it wasn't me who saved Harry. It was Ron.

He pulled out his own wand and cried out: "Wingardium Leviosa!"

To my great surprise, the club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over- and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. I gasped in anticipation, as the troll swayed on the spot before falling flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

I was concerned for Harry for the few moment that he didn't get up, but eventually the shaggy haired boy got to his feet, shaky and out of breath, but very much alright. I turned to look from Harry to Ron, who still standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.

It was Hermione who spoke first. "Is it - dead?"

"I don't think so," said Harry, "I think it's just been knocked out."

He bent down and pulled a piece of wood out of the troll's nose, which he'd stuck there. I realized, with disgust that it had been his wand and it was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue.

"Urgh- troll boogers." Ron shivered

And with that, I was pulled out of my stunned state, my heart beating at a million miles an hour as turned on my heels, hastily grabbing Hermione and pulling her into a tight hug. "Merlin, you scared me!" I gasped, nearly crushing the poor girl, but she hugged back none the less.

When I finally let go, I turned to the boys and threw one arm around each of them as well, squeezing them a bit more gently than I had Hermione. I was a little surprised when they hugged back as well. I pulled back a little and stared at Harry.

"Harry that was either the stupidest thing I've ever seen, or it was- well, ya know what? No, it _was_ the stupidest thing I've ever seen. You could have gotten yourself killed!" then I turned to Ron, "That is, if you hadn't saved him! Ron that was brilliant! How'd you know to do that!?"

Ron rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, I didn't, I wasn't even thinking... I just shouted the first spell that came to mind..."

"Well, you probably just saved all of our lives..!" I exclaimed, hugging the two boys once more.

"I wouldn't speak too soon," Harry interrupted, staring, wide eyed, at the bathroom entrance, The four of us turned around to see Professor McGonagall, who had just burst into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. I winced as Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart. I dejectedly looked down at my feet when I noticed the disappointed and angry look my godfather was giving me... He passed by me wordlessly and bent over the troll.

However, if I thought Snape looked angry, Professor McGonagall must have been the embodiment of fury. I had never seen her so angry. Her lips were white…

"What on earth were you thinking of?" asked Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice as her eyes traveled from Harry to Ron, skipping over Hermione and me, since, I supposed she wouldn't have thought to even consider me or Hermione being the masterminds behind this little adventure, given how well we usually behaved. I looked down at the ground, feeling guilty since I was the one who'd dragged the boys here in the first place.

Harry looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?" McGonagall asked, and with that, Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look, obviously blaming Harry for dragging me into trouble, when it was really the other way around.

Harry looked at the floor and I slowly reached up taking Ron's hand, which still clasped his wand and lowering it for him, since he still seemed to be frozen.

Then a small voice came out of the shadows.

"Please, Professor McGonagall- they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!?"

Hermione stood there looking small.

"I went looking for the troll because I- I thought I could deal with it on my own- you know, because I've read all about them."

Ron dropped his wand and my mouth hung open. I was absolutely stunned. Surely this was a dream, there was no way, Hermione Granger was telling a downright lie to a teacher! But more than that, I wanted to tell Hermione that she didn't need to take the blame for what happened! I planned to do so myself but now that she had, I knew it was for the best that I kept my mouth shut.

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Charlotte got me out of the way while Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club..! They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived..."

We three tried to look as though this story wasn't new to us.

"Well- in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the four of us, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head and I was speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had, to help me and the boys get out of trouble, as if she hadn't already done so for me in the past. It reminded me just how grateful I was to have her at as friend. And I was all the more grateful to have her now after I'd almost lost her...

"Alright then, Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione left.

Professor McGonagall turned to Harry, Ron and I next.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points for Gryffindor. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."

With that, I lead the way out of the chamber, not wanting to stick around for whatever my godfather wanted to say to me, and I was sure that was quite a lot. The three of us didn't speak again until we had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll and apart from anything else, as well.

"We should have gotten more than fifteen points," Ron grumbled.

"Ten, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's." Harry added

"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we did save her."

"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in the bathroom with her," Harry reminded him.

"The bathroom she wouldn't have been in at all if you guys hadn't been making fun of her," I added in, then paused, "But, on that subject… I'm sorry for being so hard on you about that, Ron. You saved our lives back there, so I owe you a thank you. It's just… I know what it's like to feel the way Hermione did when she heard you talking about her... It's really hurtful. And what you said about Hermione… It _was_ pretty rotten."

It was silent until we reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Pig snout," We said and entered.

The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up for them. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for us. There was a very embarrassed pause between my three friends and I. None of us locked eyes, but we all piped up at the same time with a short, but sincere, "Thanks," before hurrying off to get plates.

But after that short thanks, I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face because in that moment I knew that Hermione had became not only my, but Harry and Ron's friend as well... I didn't know it then, but after that night, the four of us became our own little group. A group that would end up affecting my life more ways than I could ever imagine.

But still, it was quite possibly the best birthday gift I had ever gotten.

Even better than earrings.


	14. Keep your Friends Close

**Author's Note: Hey guys, I know it's been awhile since I updated but this chapter has taken some time and now that I'm posting it you can see that it's over 11,000 words long so that's probably why. Sorry for the weight and for any spelling mistakes and such and review and all that Jazz. And now without further Ado:**

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE AND YOUR GODFATHER CLOSER

November had just started up at Hogwarts and the weather had already turned from chilly to downright freezing. The mountains around the school had became an icy gray and the lake had begun to look like chilled steel. Pansy and some of the Slytherins were already talking about going skating there when it froze over. Naturally they'd asked me along as well and, while I had said yes, I admittedly I wasn't very good at skating. I had asked Draco if he'd helped me but he'd simply turned beet red and told me I shouldn't be wasting my time with such stupid and frivolous activities... So, I took it that he didn't know how to skate either.

Things were getting cold enough around Hogwarts that every morning when I stepped outside the ground was covered in frost. The tips of my ears started to get so cold they burned. I had no idea how my sister I had known, but she'd sent me a pair of white earmuffs a few days after my noticing. I was glad I had gotten a winter cloak for myself back on Diagon Alley, as well, because while I wore my school cloak to and from classes, I preferred my own. It was a lot warmed and a lot more comfortable. The material was thicker and softer, and beside that it was it was cooler. With all the constellation stitched across the back, it looked like wearing a star chart.

Every once in awhile, while walking to class, Harry would point out the window at the gamekeeper, Hagrid, and tell me how he'd have to introduce me sometime soon. I agreed. While I have run into the gamekeeper a few times, I'd never formally met him. At various times during the day, Hagrid could be found lumbering around the school grounds and defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field. I felt bad for him, always being outside in the cold but he seemed to be bundled up nicely, sporting a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaver-skin boots.

The biggest thing to be happening around Hogwarts, however, was this year's Quidditch season. It had only just begun but it was already all anyone was talking about. It didn't matter if I was sitting at the Gryffindor table or the Slytherin table, I couldn't escape the constant reminder that death traps like flying brooms existed. It made me feel sick...

When the Quidditch season began the few friends we had, who knew Harry would be playing for Gryffindor, started to make this joke that they "don't know who's more nervous about Gryffindor's first game, Harry or Charlotte." Which was a pretty dumb joke since Harry was obviously ten times more nervous than I was about the game. I was simply nervous for him. I knew that I'd be safe. I was never getting on any broom, ever. I would be tucked safely in the stands with my fellow Gryffindors, cheering Harry on. I would probably be covering my eyes through most of it, but at least I wasn't the one pulling a Hermione and binge reading _Quidditch Through the Ages_ like it was the bible. Unfortunately I didn't think Harry's nerve settling tactics were working because a few days before Harry's game I'd watched him reading and I was almost certain the boy had been reading and rereading one single sentence on page eighty-seven for about an hour…

Not that I could blame him. Harry would be playing in his first match on saturday and the team was depending on him. As the seeker, he couldn't afford to slack. Just the thought of it was stressful. Personally, I hated the idea of Harry being up the there with bludgers and beaters and tons of other kids on brooms! And just to make the whole thing more all the more stressful the Gryffindors would be up against Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, we would move into second place for the house championship.

But if there was one good thing to come of all this: bragging rights.

With the quidditch season starting Harry probably would have failed all his classes and gotten himself kick off the team if Hermione hadn't helped him with his homework. And now that Harry had realized how awesome of a friend Hermione could was, I had the unalienable right to say "I told you so." Especially given all the last-minute Quidditch practices Wood was making Harry put in.

But I wasn't just telling Ron and Harry this. Hermione got her fair share of 'I told you so's too, because after getting to know Harry and Ron, Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules, and I think that relaxed her a lot too in general. It was so great, sometimes I'd find myself just smiling ridiculously over it at random times. It was like a miracle, all my friends were finally getting along… Well, all except for Draco, but that simply couldn't be helped. While I had doubted Ron, Harry, and Hermione would ever get along, I _knew_ that Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Draco would _never_ get along.

But with friendships aside, my time at Hogwarts flew by blissfully and before any of us knew it, the day before Harry's first match had arrived. During our break, Hermione, Ron, Harry, and I huddled around a bright blue fire that Hermione had conjured up and had been carrying around in a jam jar. I was just starting to get warm, with my back to the flame when I noticed Harry staring off into the distance.

"Harry? What is it..?" I asked, confused, following his line of sight only to see my godfather crossing the yard with a slight limp.

Immediately the four of us moved closer together to block the fire from view. I was sure Snape wouldn't approve of our little fire and I was already sure he didn't approve of my friendship with the Gryffindors so I didn't want to make matters worse by getting caught breaking the rules with them, again.

I wasn't crazy about the idea of breaking the rules right under my godfather's nose, there was something exhilarating about it too. It made me giggle a little. Just being a part of something excited me. I guess Snape must have heard me, because a moment later he limped over.

I knew he hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell Harry, Ron, and Hermione off anyway. I knew he didn't like them. After the whole troll incident on my birthday he had called me into his office to scold me. He'd told me flat out that he didn't want me hanging out with "those three troublemakers" anymore. He thought that they were "A bad influence on me" and that they'd end up distracting me from my studies. I tried to convince him that the whole Troll thing wasn't their fault but it didn't matter, Snape still disapproved of my friendship with the three of them, and that was why he was looking for a reason to get them into trouble.

I hadn't mentioned any of this to Harry or the others, though. It would only create more tension between Harry and Snape, and heaven knows there was already enough of that there already. We didn't need Snape taking more points from Gryffindor because Harry knew he held a bias. To be honest, I hadn't even told the others that Snape was my godfather. Only the Slytherins knew that.

It wasn't like I was ashamed of it or anything. Professor Snape was a great godfather. He helped me with any homework I had trouble with, he was always there when I needed advice, helped me advance my potions studies, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the special attention. The only reason I didn't tell the others was because I didn't really see a reason to. Besides, Snape had told me at the beginning of the year not to, so I figured it was better to keep quiet about it.

"What's that you've got there, Potter?" Snape asked, narrowing his eyes at them. I sighed a little to myself as Harry showed him his copy of _Quidditch Through the Ages_. I knew right away where this was going.

"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."

Snape shot me a look, as if to say, _I thought I told you to stay away from these kids_.

Immediately, I shot one back saying, _I don't care, they're my friends._

Snape shook his head disapprovingly at me before limping away once more.

"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered, angrily, "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"

"I don't know, I've never seen him limp like that before," I said, curious as to why that was myself. I had been around Snape enough times to know that that wasn't normal. Now that Harry had mentioned it, every step looked painful...

"I dunno either, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly. I elbowed the boy in the ribs (By this time it had become my primary way of showing disapproval), causing him to scrunch up his face in pain, "Ow!"

"Don't be rude…" I said, pursing my lips and turning back to Hermione's flame to warm my hands.

Not long after that, the four of us returned to the Gryffindor common room. When we arrived, the place was bustling with activity. Everyone seemed to be excited and full of energy, anticipating the next day's game. Needless to say it was pretty noisy and the four of us struggled to find a place to sit. Finally we settled down by a window, overlooking the courtyard.

Hermione started checking Harry and Ron's Charms homework for them, while I took their Potion's. I used to let Ron and Harry copy my homework, but I soon learned from Hermione that it was much more fun to make them do it themselves. Now whenever they asked to copy, Hermione and I would just look at each other and look at each other and turn back to the boys with the same response: "If we let you copy, then how will you learn?" However we were happy enough to read through it and correct it for them, so they ended up getting the right answers anyway.

Still, we enjoyed giving them the runaround.

I glanced up at Harry and immediately I could tell Harry was starting to get restless. He always got this look on his face when he did and started fidgeting with his hands, and I imagined his nerves were even worse given tomorrow's game. But still, I was just a little surprised when he got up, and announced that he was going to go ask Snape if he could have his book back.

"Better you than me," Hermione and Ron said together, but I quickly stood up and passed Hermione the boys' potions homework.

"I'd better go with you, just in case," I said. Harry didn't argue. It was no secret that I was Snape's favorite student and Harry, being Snape's least favorite, knew that having me by his side, might at least give him a shot at getting his book back.

I followed Harry down the corridor. It was a little weird being out so late, since I usually headed to the dorms early, but I reminded myself that I had been out later than this before. Still, I had just been in such a rush that I hadn't had time to think about it too much. We walked all the way to the staff room where we came to a slow stop and stared at the door nervously for a moment. Harry tried to put on a brave face before lifting his arm and knocking.

There was no answer.

He knocked again, and still, nothing.

"Harry, are you sure this is a good idea…?" I asked, "I don't think students are allowed to bother the teachers in the staff room, and besides, I don't think anyone's in there."

"Then maybe Snape had left the book inside..?" Harry suggested, "It's worth a try."

Before I could stop him Harry pushed the door slightly ajar and peered inside. Unable to help myself, I stood on my tiptoes and peered in, as well.

I couldn't see much in the dark, but what I did see made me let out a slight gasp.

Snape and Filch sat inside the staff room, alone, with only the light of a single floating candle illuminating their slouched figures in the dark. Snape held his robes above his knees, showing off one of his legs. To my horror, the leg was all bloody and mangled, and extremely painful-looking. Filch was handing Snape white bandages, which he used to wrap up the leg as best her could.

I covered my mouth with my hand in shock. I had no idea how my godfather had gotten so hurt, but it was awful to watch. My stomach lurched at the sight, so I turned away from the door and squeezed my eyes shut.

"Blasted thing," I heard Snape say, "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but- "POTTER!"

My eyes flew open at the sound of my godfather's shouts and turned to see Harry gulp. I froze, unable to move. I wasn't sure what to do, but Harry opened his mouth and said the stupidest thing he could have possibly said in this situation.

"I was just wondering if I could have my book back."

"GET OUT! OUT!"

As soon as I heard the order, I unfroze. I grabbed Harry's hand as quickly as I could, only stopping for a moment to lock eyes with my godfather, before feeling goosebumps raise all over my arms and running off in the direction of the Gryffindor dorms, dragging Harry in toe. We sprinted back upstairs. Stopping for only a moment outside the Gryffindor dorms.

"What-… What was that?" Harry said breathlessly.

"I don't know," I said, "But did you see his leg? How on earth… What happened to him..?"

"You heard him didn't you? He said 'keep your eyes on all three heads at once,' Do you know what that means?" Harry didn't wait for an answer, "The dog, in the third floor corridor. We have to tell Hermione and Ron."

I narrowed my eyes at him, realizing what he was thinking.

"Tell them what?" I asked, "That he was there and he got hurt? So what? I bet all the teachers have been there!"

"I don't think so," Harry shook his head, "I think Snape's up to something… Come on, let's go tell the others!"

"What? No..! Harry we can't" I protested.

"Why not?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"We have to respect Professor Snape's privacy..!" I exclaimed, "We already violated it by spying on him."

But Harry wasn't listening anymore, he'd already given then fat woman the Gryffindor password and scrambled inside. I followed hurriedly. Joining him across the common room in front of Hermione and Ron.

"Did you get it?" Ron was asking as I joined them. Immediately, Ron and Hermione both sensed something was wrong from our expressions. Ron knit his eyebrows, "What's the matter?"

"Harry it's none of their business," I warned, "It's none of _our_ business."

"What's who's business?" Hermione asked, looking between the two of us. Harry sat down and began to tell to the two what we'd seen in a low whisper. I grumbled a curse or two under my breath and I stood there with my arms folded, glaring daggers at Harry.

"You know what this means?" He finished breathlessly, "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween!"

"Or he was just there!" I pointed out, once again "For all we know the teachers take turns feeding the thing! Of course the teachers would be around that monster. They were the ones who put it there!"

"I doubt that," Harry said suspiciously, "Why else would he get so mad when we saw his torn up leg! Why hide it?"

"Maybe because we're not supposed to know about the three-headed dog in the first place!" I huffed, "If you don't remember, the only reason we know about that thing at all is because we were wandering around the school after dark."

"I don't know Charlotte," Ron said, "I wouldn't put anything past Snape. He makes my skin crawl"

"Oh come on!" I groaned, "I don't know how you do it in this country, but in America, everyone is innocent until proven guilty!"

"But Charlotte you saw him on Halloween! He was headed towards the third floor corridor! Why would he be going there while all the teachers were going after the troll!?" Harry asked, "he's after whatever that dog is guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"

Hermione's eyes widened.

"No- he wouldn't," she said. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something?" snapped Ron. "I'm with Harry. Snape's up to something. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

"He isn't after anything!" I shouted, probably louder than I should have. My cheeks were burning red with anger, "He's not doing anything wrong, so just leave it alone!"

"You can't be sure of that, Charlotte. How can we just leave it alone?" Harry asked, "Something's going on here, and we need to find out what."

"You're wrong," I said, "And even if there is something going on here, Snape's not a part of it!"

"How do you know that?"

"I just do!"

"Why do you trust him so much? Why are you so willing to defend him?" Harry asked narrowing his eyes at me.

"Because he's my _godfather_ , that's why!" I snapped at him, "He isn't up to anything! And I think I know my own godfather a little better than you do!"

That got Harry to shut his mouth.

My three friends stared up at me with wide eyes, too shocked to speak, pretty much giving me the look I had expected them to, given the circumstances.

After a moment of being stared at with a mixture of shock, horror, and, most annoying of all, pity. I threw my hands in the air and groaned in aggravation. I turned away from the group and stormed off in the direction of the girl's dormitory.

* * *

I sat in bed, unable to sleep.

Yelling at my friends didn't sit well with me, but neither did sitting by and letting my godfather's good name get dragged through the mud. It wasn't fair. Sure, Snape was a little harsh, but he wasn't evil. He was my father's classmate. He was my mother's best friend. He was the only connection I had to my parent other than Bethany and Bethany's memory could be hazy. She was only eleven when they died, so most of her memories were fragmented. Snape could tell me crystal clear stories of my parents. How they'd met, how he'd been introduced to them, how they'd fallen in love. He was the first person my mother told when they'd gotten engaged. A man like that… If my mother had trusted him, I knew he wouldn't betray Dumbledore like that. I just knew.

Still, despite my trust in Snape, part of me saw where Harry and the others were coming from. 'I think I know my own godfather a little better than you do!' That's what I'd told Harry, but was it really true? Sometimes I'd stay after class or talk with him during my break periods, and he'd tell me stories about my parents, but did that really equate to my 'knowing him'? Afterall, Snape had always been rather impersonal in his stories. He always focused on my parents and who they were. He never talked about himself or his school experiences. Whenever I asked, he'd simply reply that it was "Uneventful." I didn't know anything about his family, or friends -other than my parents- I didn't know anything about his life or any of his stories. Snape was a pretty secretive and my friends had me questioning whether or not I spoke too soon when I said I knew him. I had only found out that Snape was my godfather a week into the school year, so it wasn't as if I'd known him longer than they had. I'd spent more time with him but I wondered if that really meant anything at all. I definitely knew more than the rest of the school, but that didn't mean I knew _him…_

After a moment, Hermione crept into the room and closed the door behind her. She made her way over to the edge of the bed and settled down on the comforter next to me, nudging me slightly.

"Charlotte? Charlotte, are you awake?" She asked, nervously. Even in the dark I could see her bright brown eyes looking at me with a hint of concern and shame shining in them. I felt a small pang of guilt at that. I hated meant to yell at Hermione. Harry and Ron were the ones I was mad at. Hermione hadn't accused anyone of anything.

"Yeah," I nodded, sitting up.

"I'm sorry about…," Hermione hesitated, "I'm sorry about what happened back there."

"It wasn't your fault, 'mione" I assured her, "You didn't do anything wrong. It's just… Boys. Why are they so damn frustrating..?"

"My mom says it's genetics, She says that Y chromosome is missing the common sense gene," Hermione replied.

"I don't know what that means," I frowned.

"I'm not sure I do either," Hermione admitted, "I never got a chance to take biology before I started my wizard studies."

I laughed a little. I was pretty sure this was the first time Hermione had ever met a subject she didn't understand.

Hermione cleared her throat and continued, "But you know, Harry and Ron, they didn't mean to upset you. They just didn't know."

"I know," I sighed, reaching over and taking Hermione's hands in my own, squeezing them a bit for comfort, "It's just, I know enough about Snape to know he would do that, Hermione. He's strict, sure, and maybe sometimes he can be a bit cruel, but he wouldn't do those things Harry was saying he did. You believe me don't you, 'moine?"

Hermione was silent for awhile, "I don't know what I believe, Charlotte, but when I do believe something, it will be because I have proof. Right now, I think it's too early to rule anything out. If we start ruling out possibilities without any evidence, it could be bad. If we keep an open mind, we're sure to uncover the truth."

I frowned, disappointedly.

"Goodnight Charlotte," Hermione said, giving my hand a firm squeeze before sliding off my bed and crawling into her own. I had been hoping that Hermione would side with me, but, of course, she would go with the most logical route: Not picking a side. Figures.

I sighed and slumped onto my pillow, drifting off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning was very bright and very cold. There weren't any classes all day, so everyone was decked out in their own clothes instead of their school uniforms, making the great hall look somewhat like a rainbow. I wore my favorite white and blue floral patterned dress, my blue star chart clock, and my White sneakers. Draco was always telling me how, on these off days, you had to pick out your outfits very carefully. _It's not often we get to show off our fashion sense, so when we do, it's important to prove we have one._ Or at least, that's what Draco tells me.

When I entered the Great Hall, Hermione wandered off with Patil Parvati, debating over the answers to the charms homework and my eyes drifted off to my usual spot at the Gryffindor table. Harry and Ron had taken seats directly across from my usual spot. I made eye contact with the two boys and they immediately tried to beckon me over, waving their hands like they wanted to talk to me about something.

I made a Beeline for the Slytherin table.

The Slytherins beamed when they noticed I'd chosen their table over the Gryffindor's. I had no idea how this had turned into a competition, but somewhere along the line it had become another one of those Slytherin-Gryffindor rivalry things. I watched a couple of the Slytherins toss a couple smirks over their shoulders, which were received by Fred and George Weasley, who sent them back two perfectly synced eyerolls. Don't ask me how the upperclassmen became a part of this. They just did. It makes no sense to me me either.

I sat down with the Slytherin first years, and returned their pleasant grins and small chorus of 'hello's and 'good morning's. The only person I didn't receive a greeting from was Draco, who sat, slouched over, staring at his food, which was odd because he was usually all smiles when I choose to sit with him over Harry and the others. More often than not, he was the first one to sent them a bragging smirk from across the great hall.

"Morning Draco," I said softly, as I took my seat. His gray eyes looked like storm clouds as he glared down at the mostly empty plate in front of him.

Draco was decked out in black robes, trimmed with a shiny golden fabric. His blond hair was combed back like it usually was, but I could see few strands coming loose and falling into his face. He tried to brush them back into place, but to be honest, I thought it looked better like that. Still, I knew it was no use arguing with Draco about things like fashion or style or -god forbid- his hair, so I reached over and brushed his hair back into place for him.

Draco seemed to snap out of thought at the contact and turned eyes turned towards me in confusion. He tried to give me a smile in greeting, but it seemed fixed.

"Oh, good morning Lottie," Draco said, quickly before turning back to his plate, his smile changing back into a pointed glare.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Draco was upset. I already had a pretty good idea about what that was but I knew it was best to ask anyway. It gave Draco a chance to vent and, I knew he wouldn't feel better until he did. So I sighed and placed a hand on his shoulders, speaking softly, "Okay Dray, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Draco pouted, pausing for a moment, acting as if he were just going to leave it at that, before continuing, "No, I'm just _fine_..! I'm just _dying_ to watch the Gryffindor's golden boy, play his first game today. It'll be the highlight of my year, honestly! I bet he just can't wait to show off to the entire school. Look at him over there, acting all smug..."

I turned my gaze towards Harry, who was sitting at the Gryffindor table looking unusually pale. I could see Hermione trying to coax him into eating something but Harry looked like the sight of food might make him hurl. It wasn't exactly my definition of smug but I wasn't about to argue with Draco. Whenever he got like this he seemed to have a reality all his own.

And, just as I suspected, Draco's bad mood was caused by Harry's title as Gryffindor seeker. He'd been upset about it ever since I'd told him, but ever since the Slytherin tryout, Draco had been fuming. Of course he'd tried out, but, like all the first years, he hadn't made the team. He'd been pretty miserable ever since.

"I suppose you'll be sitting with Weasley and Granger, cheering him on," Draco muttered, pushing his breakfast around with his folk.

I sighed, Draco certainly was pathetic when he was sad, but as his best friend, it was my job to cheer him up, so I turned to my usual And most effective tactic: shameless flattery.

"What? No way!" I said, catching Draco's attention. He perked up a bit and turned towards me with a look of confusion on his face, "Draco, I'd be totally lost with the other Gryffindors! I don't have any idea how Quidditch works and do you _really_ think Ron or Hermione could explain it to me half as well as you can? Of course I'm sitting with my best friend. You know more about Quidditch than anyone I know! You _will_ explain it to me, won't you, Draco? Please?"

Draco turned to me and considered this for a moment. I watched a real smile form on Draco's face and his silvery eyes seemed to shine.

"Well, I guess, if you put it that way," Draco hummed, his cheeks slightly pink, "Sure, I'll explain the game to you... I just thought you'd want to sit with the other Gryffindors."

"Why would I wanna do that when I could sit with you?" I smiled. "Besides, I'm not exactly happy with Ron or Harry at the moment."

Draco perked up even more at this news, which wasn't too surprising. Telling Draco that I was mad at Harry or Ron was like telling Draco that he was getting two birthdays this year. He shoot an ecstatic look across the room at Harry and Ron before turning back to me and trying -and failing- to suppress the pleased look on his face.

"Why? What did they do this time?" Draco asked, emphasising the words _this time_ , as if trying to remind me this wasn't time Harry and Ron had upset me.

"Where do I start?" I sighed "It's just… You know how I told you that Harry and the others don't like Snape? And you know, that's fine. They're allowed to have their opinions, it's just… Ugh, I don't know. I just wish they would try and see things from my perspective sometimes. Just because they don't like him that doesn't mean he doesn't have good qualities too. I just wish they wouldn't make snap decisions about someone they barely even know… About someone who means a lot to me, you know? The least they could do is change the subject when I tell them it's making me uncomfortable, but all they ever do is get quiet for a moment then go right back to trying to convince me he's a terrible teacher."

"Mm," Draco thought, "I get it but, come on Lottie, their complete twats, what else did you expect? You can't just expect them to know how to consider someone else's feelings."

I tried not to dwell on the hypocrisy of that statement as I gave Draco an appreciative smile, linking my arm around his and sighing as I rested my head against his shoulder. "Thanks, Draco. I'm glad at least someone understands…"

"And," Draco added, with a twisted smile, "if it makes you feel any better, Seekers are always the first to get knocked off their brooms by the other team. Might be fun to watch Potter get his arse handed to him."

I frowned, "Not helping."

Draco shrugged.

* * *

I waited for eleven o'clock with the Slytherins who chatted excitedly about the game while we wandered around outside in the snow. Draco and I trailed behind, while Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, Theo and Pansy squaled and laughed, arguing about which professional quidditch teams and players were best.

I walked towards the Quidditch pitch with Draco, balancing carefully on the stone wall that lined the walkway, holding onto Draco's hand for balance. Draco was walking on the ground because naturally that's what civilized Malfoys do, but he walked along at my side and talked up to me so he could explain the different functions of each Quidditch ball.

"But why are there so many of them?" I complained, "No muggle sport I know has more than one."

"That's because muggles are less civilized than us wizards," Draco said, "They can't keep track of more than one ball."

"You do realize I was raised by Muggles, right?" I frowned at him.

"Yeah, but _you_ aren't one," Draco countered.

I rolled my eyes and let it go. Draco smiled in satisfaction and continued, "the trickiest ball is the snitch but the ones you really gotta look out for are the bludgers. They're the smaller ones. They're bewitched to chase all the players so everyone has to watch out for them. It's the beater's job to whack them away from their teammates with their bats. You gotta be pretty strong though, to be a beater, because bludgers are usually made out of iron."

"Iron?" I gasped, horrified, "oh god, they literally hurl flying pieces of iron at these players… What kind of sick game is this?"

Draco grinned, "the sickest"

"No," I complained, "Not sick. Ohhh, I have a bad feeling about this… Harry's going to get hit and he's going to lose control of his broom and fall to his death. That's just my luck."

"Now n-now M-Miss Cartwright," I paused when I heard a voice behind Draco and I, we turned around to see professor quirrell walking over smiling nervously, "That w-w-would be an u-unfortunate accident, if that w-were t-t-to happen… But I a-assure you Q-Quidditch is a very safe game. Nothing to be frightened o-of."

"That's rich coming from him," Draco muttered into my ear as I hopped down from the stone wall. I elbowed him lightly.

I smiled at my Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I was still nervous but I appreciated that he was trying to reassure me. I liked Quirrell. I wasn't very good in his class, since the dark arts just creeped me out, but he still helped me out and gave me extra help when I needed it. I could tell he wanted me to succeed and I liked that in a teacher. I'd had teachers before who'd wanted me to fail and others who didn't care either me, so I liked having one who wanted to see me do well. That was what I liked best about the hogwarts teachers.

"Thanks Professor..." I sighed, "You're right… Harry will be fine. There's no way he'll lose control of his broom, right?"

"One can only hope," Draco muttered.

"I-I'm sure you're r-right, M-Miss Cartwright," Quirrell smiled, "E-enjoy the g-g-game. I'll s-see you in c-class."

Quirrell gave one more small wave and flashed Draco and I a nervous smile before walking ahead towards the teacher's box in Quidditch pitch. Draco and I watched him disappear into the crowd before we started walking again.

"That guy has just one too many screws loose don't you think?" Draco said, brushing a loose strand of hair from his face.

"I don't know," I shrugged, "I like him… He's really nice to me, you know? Sure he stutters a lot but other than that he's a good teacher, don't you think?"

Draco shrugged, "I guess so. I was kind of disappointed. I thought Defense Against the Dark Arts would be cooler, but it's been pretty boring so far."

"The dark arts are creepy," I huffed, "I don't wanna learn more than I have to actually, so I don't really care if it's exciting or not. I'd actually prefer if it weren't exciting."

"You get scared too easily," Draco countered.

"I do not," I pouted.

"Brooms."

"Fair point..." I sighed, "Come on, we should get going. I might not like Quidditch but if we don't hurry up we're going to miss the start of match."

* * *

I'd never seen anything like the Quidditch field before. It was huge, with large hoops at each end of the field and huge seats raised high in the air decorated with the house colors. Many students had binoculars just to see what was going.

The Slytherins were perhaps the most spirited. But yet again, no house had more house spirit than Slytherin. Still, Gryffindor was a close second. Across the field, I could see Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean in the top row, holding up the large banner we'd painted as a surprise for Harry, on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. I was glad we had made it big enough since the pitch was so large but I could easily see it from across the field, changing colors because of Hermione's charm.

I felt Draco tug at my sleeve nodding towards the other slytherin first years. I smiled, and followed settling into the seat between Draco and Pansy. Draco started explaining all the quidditch positions to me and what they did and every so often arguing with Pansy when she cut in with her own commentary.

The two often bickered with each other, but I didn't mind too much. It wasn't the kind of bickering Draco got into with Harry, it was the kind of bickering you knew you could get into with one of your close friends and still know you'd be friends afterwards because nothing you could say would ever really scare them off. Pansy and Draco had known each other for so long I doubted there was a side of Draco Pansy hadn't seen before. She'd seen the worst of Draco, and she was still around. He could yell and get mad at her all he wanted and by dinnertime they'd be back to swapping notes for charms and looking through fashion magazines together.

I was content to sit there and listen to Draco for the rest of the afternoon but the talking stopped as soon as the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams stepped out onto the field. The crowd instantly quit the chatter and started cheering.

The Gryffindor team was first out onto the field and I could hear the cheers of the other Gryffindors from across the field as they watched their team make their way out onto the field, brooms in hand. I heard Draco to my left booing as they waved to their friends in the crowd, and elbowed him disapprovingly.

I stood in the stands, trying to spot Harry out of all the kids wearing identical gryffindor quidditch uniforms on the field, which wasn't hard since Harry was easily the smallest. I could see him following right behind Fred and George weasley as they made it to the center of the field.

The Slytherin team was the next out and as soon as the team stepped out onto the field the Slytherin crowd was on their feet cheering loud enough to deafen most people. I cheered too but not nearly as loud as Draco did. I couldn't help but laugh a little.

I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen him that excited… The last time I saw him smiling like that he was on the train, rushing off to meet his childhood hero, Harry Potter. It was such a shame they hadn't become friends… It would have been nice…

I could see Madam Hooch's fluffy white hair down in the center of the field, acting as the referee. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

Draco tugged on my sleeve and pointed.

"See the tall one down there in the middle?" He asked, speaking over the crowd, "That's the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, he's a sixth year. He's the best player on the Slytherin team. He gave the first year slytherins the tour of the school, you should have been there, he showed us all the secret passages and everything!"

I gazed down at the boy Draco was pointing to. Marcus Flint looked as big as an ox, and pretty mean looking. He looked like exactly the kind of kid I would have avoided at my old school, but looking at Draco, he didn't seem the least bit intimidated by the kid's size or demeanor.

"He looks kinda..." I replied, trailing off in hopes he'd get what I meant.

"Oh yeah," Draco agreed, nodding, "He's huge, he looks like he could strangle a bull. but the first lesson you learn in Slytherin: Looks can be deceiving. That's why you get to know the people you're dealing with before you go diving headfirst into a situation."

"Right..." I nodded.

I wasn't sure if I ever thought of things that way before. True, Draco and the other Slytherins did judge others on money and blood status and such but I'd never seen them judge a person on looks before. Afterall there were all kinds of Slytherins of different shapes and sizes and they all got along fine. If only they would just apply that same understanding to other aspects as well I bet the rest of the school would love them too. Unfortunately, there was no way I could undo years of being raised to think a certain way, so for now, I would simply have to love my friends the way they were.

There was another round of cheers as The two teams were instructed to mount their brooms. I could see Harry, easily the smallest player on the field, clamber onto his Nimbus Two Thousand, waiting for the signal to kick off.

There was a hush over the crowd as Madam Hooch brought her whistle to her lips. There was a moment of silence, until, finally, the signal to start the game sounded from her silver whistle. Immediately the two teams kicked off and rose into the air. Fifteen brooms rose up, high into the air.

The game had begun.

A voice sounded over the quidditch pitch that I recognized as Fred and George's friend, Lee Jordan who hung out in the Gryffindor common room 90% of the day, retelling Quidditch stories to anyone who would listen. Sometimes I stopped to listen. As much as I hated flying brooms, Jordan's stories were funny. I'd heard him bragging the other night that he was doing the commentary for the matches this year, but as it turned out he was being closely watched by Professor McGonagall.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor- what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too-"  
"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor."

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve- back to Johnson and- no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes- Flint flying like an eagle up there- he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood!"

I grinned and gave a small whoop for Wood.

Draco gave me a look but I just smiled and shrugged, "Wood's a friend of mine!" I explained, "Don't give me that look. I'm cheering for both teams, kay?"

"How can you cheer for both teams?" Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Like this!" I huffed, "WOO! GO SLYTHERIN! GO GRYFFINDOR! WOO!"

I screamed in Draco's ear and he covered his ears narrowing his eyes at me, his mouth forming an angry pout. I laughed, shaking my head at him. I elbowed him playfully to snap him out of it and wrapped an arm around him, causing him to lose the pout and join me in the cheers, although his were solely for Slytherin.

"and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle- that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and- OUCH- that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger- Quaffle taken by the Slytherins-"

I squeaked as Katie Bell got hit by the bludger, and turned away so I didn't have to watch, but with my arm around Draco, the only way I could turn was into Draco, tucking my head into the crook of his neck. I could hear Draco stop his cheers and finally felt him tap my shoulder.

"C-come on Lottie!" Draco said, "It's over, you can watch again..!"

I looked back up and let go of Draco, feeling a blush creep up my neck, "Sorry..." I said, suddenly embarrassed.

"No problem…" Draco's face was completely red, and I could see him avert his silver-gray eyes as I let go of him and turned back to the game.

"Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes- she's really flying- dodges a speeding Bludger- the goal posts are ahead- come on, now, Angelina- Keeper Bletchley dives- misses- GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

I gave a big whoop for the Gryffindor team, but it was most definitely drowned out by the Slytherin howls and moans. Luckily enough my friends on the other of the field could most likely be heard among the other Gryffindors. I gazed over in the direction of our 'Potter for President' banner and spotted my friends, now joined by the gamekeeper Hagrid.

"Hey Charlotte," I heard Pansy on my other side, peering through a pair of brown gold binoculars, which she passed to me, "Is your boyfriend gonna do something or just sit there all day?"

I took the binoculars from Pansy and gazed up at what she'd been looking at. I gazed up at the tiny speck she'd been looking at and saw Harry atop his broom. Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for some sign of the Snitch.

"Isn't he too far up..?" I asked, looking from Draco to Pansy.

They both shrugged.

"Nah, he'll be fine," Pansy assured me. Just as a Bludger went barreling past him like a cannonball. I squeaked again and nearly dropped Pansy's binoculars, to grab onto Draco again. Pansy caught her binoculars and sighed shaking her head, as Fred Weasley beat the Bludger furiously toward Marcus Flint.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the- wait a moment- was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear. I strained my neck to see and Draco scrambled to stand atop his seat to get a look at the snitch.

"There it is, I see it!" Draco exclaimed, grinning.

Apparently Harry had seen it too because he suddenly took a downward after the streak of gold. The Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs dove for the snitch as well, coming Neck and neck with harry as they hurtled toward the Snitch. Everyone had their eyes glued on Harry and Higgs, even the chasers and beaters and keeper, who had all stopped midair to watch.

"See Charlotte! You see?" Draco tugged on my sleeve, His eyes wide with excitement, shining like real silver, "This is it, this is what everyone comes to see. This right here, the chase. The search for the snitch. The race to see who gets it first. Woo! Go Higg!"

But I no longer had my eyes on the chase or the search or the race or whatever Draco had called it. My eyes were glued to my best friend as he completely dropped the whole 'I'm better than you' act and cupped his hands over his mouth, cheering over the crowd with a look on his face I'd never seen before. I didn't know what to call it, but it just looked so pure… So full of joy and excitement and something else. Desire maybe. Whatever it was, I wished Draco would wear that expression more…

WHAM!

Suddenly there was a roar of rage from the Gryffindors and I spun around in time to see Marcus Flint blocked Harry on purpose, causing his broom spun off course. Harry was left holding on for dear life.

"Harry!" I squeaked.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.

"Huh..." Draco's face fell, I turned to watch as his eyebrows knit together in confusion as Harry scrambled back onto his broom. Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor.

"Draco?" I asked, "Are you okay? You look..."

"What's wrong Malfoy?" Blaise raised an eyebrow at us.

"Well, what was that?" Draco asked, clearly confused, and a little angry, "That was a total foul. There was no need to risk losing points like that. We're better than them. Higgs would have gotten it, now the snitch is gone!"

Blaise shrugged, "They're Slytherins, Malfoy, Potter was inching ahead, Flint was just doing what he needed to to keep saint potter out of the winners circle. You wanna win, don't you, Malfoy?"

Draco looked from Blaise to Pansy to the others around him clearing wanting to argue more but thinking better of it, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

It was a little odd for me seeing Draco like this. Draco usually had no problem pushing others out of his way to get where he was going or doing whatever it took get what he wanted, so it was odd seeing him baffled by Marcus's cheating, but at the same time I understood why. Draco was always talking about Quidditch and how satisfying it was to win and to know that you're really that good. hearing him talk about it, it seemed to be the only thing Draco ever fairly, because he wanted to know that his skills had won him the game, not some cheap trick. I guess it was just now accruing to Draco that not every player felt the same.

In the end Draco was just as Slytherin as the players like Marcus Flint, the difference was they were after different things. Draco would stop at nothing to sharpen his skills and actually become the best quidditch player he could be, while Marcus and the others, would stop at nothing to win the game and get to the top.

Meanwhile over the intercom, I could hear Lee Jordan who was finding it difficult not to take sides. "So- after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating."

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul"

"Jordan, I'm warning you-"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."

I watched as Draco took his seat, suddenly less enthusiastic about the game, although the others didn't seem to notice. I opened my mouth trying to think of something to raise his spirits but when the words didn't come I shut it again, turning back to the game. I looked around and spotted Harry just as he dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past his head.

That it happened. His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, it looked like he was going to fall. I squeaked and leaned in closer to try and see what was going on. Then it happened again. It looked as if the broom was trying to buck Harry off of it… But that was impossible. Brooms didn't just buck their riders off, did they? I grabbed Draco's sleeve and tugged hard.

"Draco?" I asked, "What's happening..? Is that normal..?"

Draco blinked, squinting at Harry, shaking his head, "No. No, it's not. Potter's lost control of his broom…"

And that he had. Harry's broom was completely out of control. It was zigzagging through the air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that almost unseated him.

"Slytherin in possession- Flint with the Quaffle- passes Spinnet- passes Bell- hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose- only joking, Professor- Slytherin's score-"

The rest of the Slytherins were cheering. No one but Draco and I seemed to have noticed that Harry's broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying him slowly higher, away from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.

"What's happening to Harry's broom? What's making it do that?" I asked, turning to Draco.

Draco shrugged, confused, "I-I don't know! All the books I've read say that magic can't nothing interfere with a broomstick, unless it's dark magic and it's too powerful for any kid here to do..."

People were starting to notice that Harry's broom was acting strangely, pointing up at him as his broom started to roll over and over. Harry just barely managed to hold on, gripping the broom with everything he had. Harry's broom gave one last wild jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on with only one hand.

"Harry!" I pushed my way threw the crowd leaving Draco behind calling out for me to wait. But I couldn't wait. If this was dark magic that no child could do, that meant an adult was doing it… But who? I refused to think Harry had been right about Snape. He couldn't have...

I pushed my way through the crowd, nearly knocking several people over as I searched the crowd. There was nothing I could do for Harry from where I was on the ground but in desperate situation, there one person I knew who could always do something. I just needed to find her. But where had she run off to…?

"Oof!" In my search I'd completely forgotten to look where I was going. I'd collided head-on with someone rushing their way through the crowd, "Hermione!"

Hermione looked up at me as she picked herself up off the ground, "Charlotte!"

"I've been looking everywhere for you," I exclaimed, frantically tugging on her sleeve, "Harry's broom's being controlled-"

"By dark magic, I know," she nodded.

"Then I assume you know it can only be performed by a fully trained wizard," I nodded, "It has one of the teachers, we have to stop this before Harry gets hurt..!"

Hermione gave a nod and grabbed my wrist, "Come on."

Hermione shoved her way through the crowd, and didn't even bother to stop to say sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell headfirst into the row in front.

I wasn't even surprised when she stopped behind Snape, crouched down and pulling her wand out, whispering a spell. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the hem of Snape's robes.

"It's not going to work. Somebody else is doing it Hermione! Put that out before someone gets hurt!" I whined, in a low whisper, "It's not him. It's not Snape!"

"Shh!" Hermione shushed me.

It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire. A sudden yelp told Hermione she had done her job. Scooping the fire off our potions teacher and into a little jar in her pocket, Hermione once again grabbed my wrist and scrambled back along the row and away from the teacher's box.

"It's not going to work Hermione, he didn't do it!" I repeated when he were far enough away, louder this time and more insistent.

Hermione pursed her lips and finally spun around to face me with a hard look on her face, "Really? than what do you have to say about that..?" Hermione asked, pointing up in the air.

I gazed up to see that Harry had finally regain control of his broom and clambering back on. I stood there, mouth gaping.

"I know you don't wanna believe it, Charlotte, but I know a jinx when I see one! I've read all about them! He was staring right at Harry's broomstick and muttering. And for a jink to work, you've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

I swallowed hard, "But that's impossible..."

Hermione sighed, searching my miserable face with her dark eyes, before finally giving me a softer look and taking my hand in her own, giving it a squeeze and a slight tug, "I'm really sorry, Charlotte… I really am. I- I didn't want it to be him either, but it is… And if Snape's trying to hurt Harry, we need to do something about it."

"I know…" I mumbled back miserably. I knew she was right. If Snape really was trying to hurt my friend, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. I had to be loyal to my friends, even if it meant going against my godfather. I wasn't about to let anyone I cared about get hurt.

"Are you going back to the Slytherins, or..?" Hermione raised an eyebrow. I thought about going back to the Slytherins, and although the thought of seeing Draco all happy and giddy over quidditch helped to cheer my up slightly, I wasn't in the mood for all the Slytherins games, and they wouldn't understand what i was upset about anyway. What I really needed at the moment was a friend who I could talk freely with and feel safe and comfortable around. What I needed was Hermione and the Gryffindors. The Slytherins were fun and made me feel special and I knew they had my back but the Gryffindors just had a ways about them that made me feel like I was part of a family.

I gave Hermione a look and she nodded her head, "Come on, let's go."

I let Hermione lead the way through the crowd and towards the Gryffindor section of the crowd, where Ron, Neville, Seamus and Dean were sitting with the school's gamekeeper Hagrid. Hermione took her seat beside Hagrid once again and offered me the next seat over, which I curled up in and continued to wallow in my sorrows. Hermione shot Ron a thumbs up before turned back to me with a frown before wrapping her arms around my shoulders in a loose hug, which wasn't a common gesture for Hermione. She didn't do physical contact very often, but it felt nice. It felt warm.

I didn't watch much of the rest of the game, although from the sounds Ron and Seamus were making it had been pretty exciting, although I had been too miserable to pay much attention. Hermione was pretty silent for the rest of the game for my sake, but I could tell what she was seeing made her pretty happy. But all I could think about was Snape.

Snape couldn't be a dark wizard. He just couldn't. He was my godfather. He'd helped me and tutored me and taught me potions and treated me so nicely. He'd allowed me to come to him for extra help and he was friends with my parents. How could someone like that be evil? It seemed impossible… But still what Hermione had said rung in my head. _He was staring right at Harry's broomstick and muttering. And for a jink to work, you've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all_. And then, after Hermione had distracted him, the jinx had quit working. It seemed that there was no way it wasn't him.

I felt like curling into a ball and shutting everything out. It wasn't fair. I'd opened up to someone, and looked up to him and trust him and I had complete got the legs taken out from under me. It just wasn't fair...

"I've got the Snitch!" I looked up when I heard Harry shouting from the Quidditch field, waving the golden ball above his head. The crowd went wild and the game was over.

Harry Hermione Ron and I could have stayed to listen to the results of the game but we didn't stick around to hear it. There was way too much that needed to be discussed and the Quidditch pitch was not the place to do it. Instead we met up just outside the pitch and exchanged information.

"Harry!" Hermione called as soon as she saw Harry jog over breathlessly, "Thank goodness you're already! You had us all worried!"

"Yeah, mate," Ron agreed, "I think you just about gave Charlotte a heart attack."

Ron had failed to notice my miserable state upon joining them on the Gryffindor side of the pitch, but I didn't feel like pointing out that I wasn't in the mood, so I let him poke fun.

"It was weird!" Harry said, "I don't know what happened, all of a sudden my broom just seemed to have a mind of it's own. That's never happened before."

"I should think not," Hermione agreed, "Someone put a jinx on your broom, Harry, and a powerful one too. That was dark magic, Harry, really dark magic."

"Dark magic?" Harry's eyes widened slightly, "but how? Who would-"

Harry looked from Ron to Hermione and then finally at me, and one look at my miserable expression seemed to tell Harry all he needed to know.

"It was Snape wasn't it," Harry frowned, "He was the one who put the jinx on my broom, wasn't he. He tried to kill me!"

"Bloody good think Hermione's so good at conjuring up fire, isn't it," Ron nodded, "if she hadn't broken Snape's eye contact I imagine you'd be in the hospital wing right about now. That or the graveyard."

"I knew it!" Harry said, and it didn't help my mood at all that he was staring directly at me as he said it, "I knew he was up to something and this proves it! I told you so!"

"Harry!" Hermione snapped shooting him a disapproving look. I slumped my shoulders and looked away. Wasn't it bad enough that my godfather turned out to be evil without Harry shoving it in my face?

"I- er," Harry looked at Hermione's hard expression for a long moment and then back in my direction before sighing, "Sorry…" He muttered.

"Yeah," I muttered, sadly, "So am I…"

Hermione nodded, satisfied, "Good now, if you two are done with the 'I told you so's and 'I'm sorry's, we have more pressing matters to worry about. I think we should ask Hagrid about all this."

"The gamekeeper..?" I raised an eyebrow, "why?"

The other three stared at me as if I were crazy for a good minute or so until finally Hermione snapped out of it, "Oh! That's right! You haven't met Hagrid yet, have you, Charlotte?"

"Not officially, no…" I said slowly, recalling my adventure with Draco, spying on him and Harry inside Hagrid's hut.

"Well, You'll understand when you meet him," Harry insisted, tugging on Ron and Hermione's sleeves guiding them in direction of Hagrid's hut, waving for me to follow as they started jogging off.

* * *

A moment or so later the four of us stood, fidgeting in anticipation, as Harry knocked on Hagrid's door, a bit more frantically than needed. I could hear loud shuffling inside the hunt as we waited for the giant of a man to swing the door open, blinking at us in surprise, "Ah, Harry, Back ferm the game already?"

"We need to talk to you about what happened with Harry's broomstick" Hermione said quickly, "Can we come in?"

"Uh, O'course" Hagrid said, immediately, taking a step aside to give the four of us room to enter the tiny hut. Harry hadn't even moved to step inside the hut yet, when It Hagrid locked eyes with me and stopped us, "'old on a moment there, Harry, yeh haven't introduced me to yer friend 'ere yet. I don' believe we've met before-"

Hagrid waited to be supplied a name as he offer me a warm smile, one that, despite how miserable I felt, I couldn't help but return.

"Hagrid, this is Charlotte," Harry supplied, quickly, pausing for moment before adding, "She's a good friend of mine."

"Charlotte Cartwright," I added, with a shy smile, with how highly Harry always talked of Hagrid I wanted to make a good impression, "Pleased to meet you"

"It's a pleasure to meet yeh too, Lottie," Hagrid grinned, "Any friend of Harry's, as the sayin' goes, come in, come in."

I almost, _almost_ , brought up the Lottie thing. I pretty much never let people call me Lottie. Not Ron, not Harry, not even Hermione, and that was for one simple reason. It was Draco's thing. It was Draco's special name for me and he never let anyone else use it. He'd even gotten mad at Pansy for using it when we first met. Usually Draco was the one telling people not to call me that, but I'd done my fair share of asking people to drop the nickname, as well. Afterall, I had been the one to tell Harry and Ron they couldn't use the pet name at the start of the school year. I liked that Lottie was Draco and my special name and I liked keeping it between us. That's why I almost asked Hagrid to just call me Charlotte, but in the end, after a long moment of looking into that warm, sweet face, with his dark eyes twinkling at me from where they were hidden behind the tangles of his bushy beard, the sheer overwhelming power of good-naturedness got the better of me and I decided to drop the issue. I just didn't have the heart to tell him that he couldn't use my nickname so I let it slide.

"Say, yer a Cartwright," Hagrid said, "No relation to Bethany Cartwright, is there?"

"Yeah actually," I smiled a little wider, "Bethany's my big sister. Do you know her?"

"A little, yeah," Hagrid grinned, "Bright girl, yer sister, used to come by askin' all about Magical Creatures durin' her free time. Curious lass. Used to sit an' have tea every once n' awhile an' talk about Dragons. Said she thought they were beautiful, she was right about that. Said maybe one day she'd like to study 'em, that is 'til Snape pushed her towards potions."

"My brother, Charlie, studies Dragons in Romania," Ron piped in, "Mum says he has a death wish."

"Now, that's not true," Hagrid argued, "Seriously misunderstood creatures, Dragons are."

"Guys," Hermione called them back to attention, "I don't mean to interrupt but we are in the middle of a situation, remember?"

* * *

No more than a moment later Hagrid was in the brewing a strong cup of tea for Harry as he listened to Ron and Hermione recount our adventure at the Quidditch pitch.

"It was Snape," Ron was saying, "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

I made a small whining sound from the back of the room, where I sat in an old wooden chair hunched over patting the head of Fang the dog, who currently had his head in my lap and was slobbering all over my skirt. Unfortunately I couldn't bring myself to care that the abnormally large dog was ruining my favorite outfit, because listening the the story of my godfather's betrayal was ruining any sort of good mood I'd had going for me from meeting Hagrid. Harry, Hermione, Hagrid and Ron all turned to look at me, blinking. I heaved a huge sigh and stared at the floor.

"Er," Hagrid scratched his beard, "don' mean to 'turpt yer story there, but is yer friend there alright, Harry?"

"She'll be fine… I think," Harry said, slowly.

"She's upset because Snape tried to murder Harry and Snape is Charlotte's godfather." Ron explained in that blunt matter-a-fact way of his that left Hermione shooting him a disapproving look.

"Rubbish," Hagrid argued, "Why would Snape do somethin' like that? More Importantly, who would pick Snape to be the one to look after their child..?" He added in a softer voice, which made me think that maybe I wasn't supposed to hear that last part.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another, wondering what to tell him. Finally Harry decided it was best to tell the truth.

"I found out something about him," Harry explained, "He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him and Charlotte and I walked in on him as he was bandaging the wound. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."

Hagrid dropped the teapot.

"How do yeh know about Fluffy?" he said.

"Fluffy?"

"Yeah- he's mine- bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub las' year- I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the-"

"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.

"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly, "That's top secret, that is."

After a moment of thinking on this conversation finally decided to pipe up from the back of the room, "Harry?"

Harry glanced back at me, "Yeah?"

"If Snape did try and get past to dog on halloween, and he's trying to kill you because you found out, then how come he only tried to kill you? I was there too. How come he hasn't tried to kill me too?" I asked.

Harry thought on his a moment, his brow creased with concentration, "Maybe he just hasn't gotten around to it..?"

I swallowed hard. Great. I had a godfather who I really liked and trusted and now, not only had he tried to kill one of my best friends, but he might try to kill me too..?!

"Or," Ron cut in, "maybe he can't kill you. I mean he _can_ , but he doesn't want to. You're too close to him. Maybe he has a soft spot for you?"

Ron and Harry looked at each other for a moment before shuddering.

"This is all Rubbish, this is," said Hagrid again, "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."

"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" Hermione cried, "I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, You've got to keep eye contact the whole time and Snape wasn't blinking!"

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly, "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student!" Hagrid turned to face me sympathetically, "Now, listen to me, Lottie, don't let these three meddle with yer mind, yer godfather ain't doin' nothin' evil, yeh hear?" He then turned back to Harry Ron and Hermione, "and the three of yeh- yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel-"

"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid looked furious with himself…


	15. Warning for Spoilers!

**Warning: I've decided to be a dick because i** **t's first day of school, and I am in pain. So, I figured I'd share this pain with you lot by giving you all a healthy does of minor spoilers from this story. If you don't wanna hear it and want to be surprised later in the series, I suggest you run. If not, then enjoy and leave me your thoughts, questions, concerns and complaints in a review. Please and thank you and now here are some spoilers as to what happens later in the story of The World's Worst Hogwarts Experience: An Autobiography:**

 **-Charlotte has other relatives she hasn't met yet besides just Bethany.**

 **-Believe it or not, in this story we're gonna have a mythic thing called: Major Hufflepuff Characters.**

 **-Bisexual!Pansy Parkinson.**

 **-Slytherins aren't always the bullies, sometimes they're in Ravenclaw...**

 **-Draco plays the Piano.**

 **-Charlotte plays everything else.**

 **-Bethany gets a love interest later in the story.**

 **-Alfie also gets a love interest later in the story.**

 **-Smitten!Blaise Zabini, although over who I will not say.**

 **-Oh yeah, and It's a musical. You're welcome.**


	16. Chirstmas Chaos and Holiday Headaches

CHAPTER 15: CHRISTMAS CHAOS AND HOLIDAY HEADACHES

I couldn't wait for Christmas to come along, but the days leading up to it were pretty nice too. One day in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. It was great. The lake froze solid and the Slytherins made good on their promise to take me skating, although Draco had sat the activity out. However it seemed that I hadn't need be worried about never skating before because Pansy was more than happy to teach me. She even let me hold her hands for balance while she skated backwards until I was comfortable enough to skate on my own.

There were very few owls who managed to deliver their letters through the stormy sky and the ones who did brave the journey had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

Unfortunately, Abbey was among those who were in Hagrid's care, having flown through a storm to deliver me a letter from Bethany, only to collapse on the Slytherin table in front of me. When she collapsed in front of me I was so sure she was dead I let out a short high-pitched scream in surprise. However after a good few pokes at her with his wand and Blaise helpfully informed me that she was, in fact, alive, although I should probably hurry up and get her to someone quick before she really did die.

When I finally got her to Hagrid he assured me she'd be fine, although she wouldn't be delivering letters anytime soon. Hagrid told me she must have been a very lucky bird because given how small she was it was shocking she'd actually made it at all.

Although I would never wish for my poor Abbey to suffer, I was glad she'd gone through all the trouble to get me that letter because the letter was from Bethany and contained some very interesting information about the upcoming holidays.

 _My Dearest, Charlotte,_

 _I write to you with both good and bad news. For the sake of keeping your mood light, I will start with the bad news and end this letter on a happy note. The bad news comes from your parents, who have called me on your funny muggle telephone (I will never get used to these things) to inform me that your adoptive grandmother has fallen ill. They want me to tell you not to worry, that it's nothing serious, but with your aunt and uncle out of the country on business they have decided to fly to her house over the holidays to take care of her until she's feeling better. However, this unfortunately complicates things when it comes to your trip home for the holidays. Your parents regretfully feel it would be easier if you were to stay overseas for the holidays. They send their deepest apologies._

 _However this brings me to the good news. Due to the complications concerning your trip back to America, you will have to stay in England for the holidays, however this, by no means, means that you should not spend your Christmas with family. As you know I have a lovely little manor up in Wiltshire with more than enough room for the two of us. (It also just so happens to be right down the road from a young mister Malfoy's manor, just in case you were interested) I told your parents I'd be more than happy to look after you this holiday vacation. Besides, I think it is long overdue that we should spend a Christmas together as sisters and I find it hard to believe that you would find anything more enjoyable than an official Cartwright Christmas party. I joyously await your arrival in a few days time. Until then, enjoy the time you have left at school and say hello to your friends for me. Remember to keep up with your schoolwork. I'm so very proud of you._

 _Love, Your Sister,_

 _Bethany._

After receiving that letter, I was absolutely dying for the holidays to start. A whole vacation with my sister? What more could I possibly ask for? It was like a dream come true!

Of course I would miss my parents over the vacation though, but at least at Bethany's house it was easier to contact them. At Hogwarts the only real way of communicating with anyone outside Hogwarts was via owl, and even if my parents were comfortable with sending a letter in the hands of an owl, no one in their right mind an sent owls over the Atlantic anyway. It was way too far a journey and sending an owl to cross the entire ocean alone was pretty much considered animal cruelty. Abbey would never make it, so instead, Bethany had agreed to install a muggle telephone in her house so that way my parents could call her with any news they had and Bethany could send me an owl. However if I was staying at Bethany's over the holidays I could simply call them directly, which was, at least, a step above having Bethany relay their messages to me.

And Bethany's manor was right down the street from Draco's! It was perfect.

I was smiling to myself happily in potions classroom that afternoon just thinking about it. Draco probably thought I had gone insane or something from where he was sitting next to me and brewing a simply potion to cure hiccups. All the other Gryffindors were on the other side of the room, as always, complaining bitterly about the cold, however, the Slytherins didn't seem to mind, since their dorms were in the dungeons anyway. And me? I was too happy to be cold.

Professor Snape sat at the front of the class watching our progress carefully, although his eyes seemed to skip over Draco and I, who he had once again paired up together for this project.

Ron often times complained that Snape was bending the rules for Draco and I by letting us work together, calling it 'blatant favoritism' but I simply reminded him that there were absolutely no rules that said a Gryffindor and a Slytherin couldn't pair up together for potions projects, and besides, it made sense that Draco and I would work together on projects since we were the best brewers in the class. To which Ron argued that if Snape really wanted to pair up the two best brewers in the class, he'd pair me with Hermione instead of Draco, since Hermione was getting better marks in Potions than Draco was anyway.

I usually let the conversation drop after that. Sure, Hermione had better marks than Draco in potions. Hermione had better marks than anyone in any subject, but that was because Hermione put one-hundred and ten percent into not only her potions but also her written work. If potions class was graded solely on brewing abilities, Draco's years of training with my sister would put him on top. However the student's writing abilities and their skills in potion analysis were also taken into consideration as well, which was why Hermione was the best in the class.

Draco finished off our potion with ease and left it to brew for a few more minutes until it turned lilac purple. Snape walked around the room, inspecting each of the potions and gave Draco and I an approving nod when he made it to our seat in the front of the room. He pulled two potion analysis sheets off his desk and handed them to Draco and I before heading back to his desk. I started to fill mine out absentmindedly. It was the most boring part of potions class. They were like the lab analysis sheets I'd had to do in science class back at my old school. Still I was able to get it done quickly enough and move on.

Back in the Quidditch Pitch, on the day of Harry's first game, it would have freaked me out to be in such close quarters with Snape, especially since Harry had suggested he might try and kill me too, but right now I was perfectly relaxed. Hermione Harry and Ron were still convinced Snape had been the one behind Harry's jinxed broom getting but I wasn't so sure anymore.

For a few days I'd been convinced, avoiding my godfather like the plague. Sitting in the way back of the room during potions class, and staying completely silent with my head down and my lips zipped. But then something changed.

I was heading back to the dorms early after dinner to get a head start on my charms homework, since it was my worst subject, when I noticed that someone had left a wrinkly old piece of paper on my pillow. I was about to crumple the thing up and throw it away when I noticed that something was written on it:

 _Snape's not your bad guy. Keep looking._

I don't know how much credibility mysterious pieces of paper actually have, but something inside me told me that this tiny piece of paper was right. My godfather was innocent. Someone else had tried to kill Harry that day at the Quidditch Pitch and I was going to find out who.

Although, despite my confidence that Snape was innocent, I had decided not to show Harry and the others my findings. I had a sneaking suspicion they wouldn't feel the same blind faith in my godfather that I did when I showed them the piece of paper and they'd probably just end up thinking I wrote the note myself or something, so I had decided to keep it a secret.

"What are you smiling about?" Draco asked curiously as he slowly flipped out the worksheet Snape had given us, "You've had that goofy grin on your face ever since that bird nearly dropped dead at breakfast. Don't tell me you hated the thing that much."

I shook my head, "No!" I said in a whisper, "of course not!" I paused for a second before grinning again, "Look, I was going to make it a surprise but if you really must know..." I pulled out my letter from Bethany and handed it to him, "Bethany invited me to stay with her over the holidays! Isn't it great? I'll get to spend my first Hogwarts Christmas with my sister, who, by the way, lives right down the street from you! We can see each other over vacation, and spend Christmas together, isn't it great!?"

Draco frowned scanning the letter, "Yeah, it's great Lottie, really... except, one thing." I tilted my head in confusion as Draco handed the letter back to me, "My family's spending the holiday at our vacation home in France. I'm not gonna be home over vacation."

"What? Awww, come on," I pouted, "No fair… Things like this wouldn't happen if you poor, ya know. This is what I get for choosing the richest kid in school as my friend."

"You're rich, too," Draco countered, "and if you wanted a poor best friend than you should have given the title to Weasley. He'd be the perfect candidate."

"Haha, very funny," I stuck my tongue out at him, "be nice to Ron, it's Christmas."

"Lottie please, If I consorted with the likes of that weasel every time a major holiday came around both my reputation and my IQ would suffer greatly." I shook my head and gave Draco a disapproving look.

"Well if you're just going to be rude than I don't want you for the holidays anyway," I said teasingly, sticking my nose up in the air.

"What do you mean? I'm not rude," Draco argued, turning to face me with his arms folded across his chest.

I raised an eyebrow at him, "No offense, Dray, but you kind of are sometimes. Like, to Harry and Ron and Hermione... I mean, it's okay, that you're like that. I like your attitude and stuff, but sometimes you could stand to be a little nicer to my other friends."

I hadn't expected to look up to find Draco's expression a mix of hurt and offended, but that's what happened.

"Why Should I?" Draco pouted, "The Weasel's just as rude to me as I am to him, and that stupid Granger girl is a filthy know-it-all! And Potter…"

Draco trailed off, clenching his teeth. I knew very well why Draco hated Harry. It was the same reason I hated Harry at first too, because he had rejected Draco's offer of friendship. Draco had worshiped Harry since he was little (I still had the letters to prove it) and it had really hurt him that Harry had been so quick to snub him.

"I know, Draco, I know Ron can be difficult and Hermione can come off a little strong, sometimes, but they really aren't bad people, Draco. They're sweet and they care about each other. If you were a just bit more, patient and accepting around them, I bet you could be really good friends..."

"I don't want to be friends with your pathetic little gang of misfits," Draco snapped in a harsh whisper. I blinked in surprise at the icy tone in his voice, "And neither should you! It's pathetic to watch you run around with all of those… those… ugh! You know, if you keep associating yourself with their kind, that just makes you a filthy _blood traitor_!"

Blood traitor.

The words seemed to echo in my head for a long time as I stared at Draco in shock. I knew what the name meant. It was a horrible and nasty name for a pureblood who was a disgrace to their family name and bloodline because they sympathized with muggles and muggleborns. I only knew this because I had read it in a news article about my sister once. I'd asked my sister about it and she'd immediately taken the paper from me and burned it.

"It's a disgusting name made up by disgusting horrible people who think they're better than everyone else," Bethany explained to me, "And anyone who uses it just want to make you feel bad about what you believe and who you associate yourself with. You should never let anybody let you feel that way, Charlotte."

I'd heard it around the Slytherin table before, but I'd never said anything. I never thought Draco would use a name like that… Well, he'd used names like Mudblood before, and from what Bethany had told me, that was even worse, but I never thought… I never even considered the idea that Draco thought _I_ was a _blood traitor_... That he would ever call _me_ something like that...

I swallowed my hurt and opened my mouth. I didn't… How was I supposed to respond to that? How were you supposed to respond when your best friend called you such a name? If it had been anyone else, I don't think I would have minded but it was Draco. I had always thought Draco was my best friend but this hurt more than it should have, even if it was my best friend. It was just… It was _Draco_. And something about it being Draco made it feel as though i'd been punched in the gut.

And that was when something in me snapped.

"Fine, you don't wanna be friends with my little band of misfits? Well, then that's just fine, because obviously that means you don't wanna be my friend either because, like it or not, I'm part of that band of misfits and I don't care if that makes me a blood traitor! Even if it makes me the most disgracefully pathetic foolish sorry excuse for a pureblood in the entire wizarding world, their my friends, so deal with it!"

And with that, I grabbed my work off the table in front of me and stormed off to the front of the room and handing in my work to Professor Snape, before marching back past Draco only to add in, "And If you're wondering, yes this does mean I'm not talking to you."

I huffed slightly and Draco stared back with wide eyes. I stalked off to the back of the Gryffindor side of the room where Hermione and Neville were sitting, already done with their work, as well, thanks to Hermione.

A moment later Ron couldn't resist turning around in his seat to get my attention with a sharp, "psst!" I looked over at him and he leaned in, whispering, "What was that about?"

"What was what about?" I pretended not to know in hopes Ron would get the message and drop it.

"With you and Malfoy," No such luck, "Don't tell me, you're actually _mad_ at him."

This apparently peaked Harry's interest as well, because a moment later he was turned around in his seat as well, anxiously waiting for a response.

"It's really none of your business but yes, at the moment I am mad at Draco," I admitted folding my arms against my chest and pouting. It wasn't as if I was happy about it, "We're not speaking to each other."

Harry and Ron looked at each other, both of them trying to suppress a grin, I scowled at both of them.

"What happened what'd he do?" Ron pushed.

"Nothing..." I muttered

"You wouldn't be mad at him if he'd done nothing," Harry pointed out.

"No, she worships the ground he walks on when he does nothing" Ron teased.

"You guys!" I huffed.

"Stop teasing her, you two. She obviously isn't in the mood," Hermione chided.

"But I wanna know what Malfoy did that was so terrible as to get his number one fan not to talk to him," Ron complained.

I pouted, "You wanna know what he did?"

"Definitely," Harry and Ron said.

"He was talking bad about you guys," I finally said, scowling, "He said that Hermione was a know-it-all and he kept making fun of you for being poor. He… He called me…"

"What did he call you Charlotte..?" Harry asked look from me to Ron, all three of them staring at me with confusion.

I pouted further at the question looking down at my hands, "He called me a blood traitor…"

That got me a few good stares, although Ron was the only one who seemed to know what I what I meant.

"Oh," Ron said,his face turning red with anger, "Charlotte that- Ugh! I can't believe that bloody git!"

"I..." Hermione frowned, "I'm not entirely sure what that means…"

"It's a stupid name stupid arses like Malfoy use," Ron growled, "it's basically a way of saying a someone's a disgrace to their bloodline for consorting with muggles or muggleborn or muggle sympathizers or basically anyone who isn't pureblood."

"That's terrible!" Hermione frowned and Harry looked over his shoulder, staring daggers in Draco's direction. "Well I certainly knew Malfoy was obnoxious but I didn't think… I mean, he really said something like that to _you_?" Hermione asked, rubbing my arm in an attempt to be comforting.

"Well, it's not like it's the first time," Harry pointed out, "Remember the way he acted right before our first flying lesson? He was being an arse then too."

That was right. Draco had acted like this before. I had completely forgotten about that fight, but now that Harry mentioned it, I should have seen this coming. I knew just how bad Draco's words stung, so why should I even bother. I had no idea why but Draco's words hurt more than anyone else's. Worse than Harry or Ron's or Hermione's or any of the bullies at my old school's words ever could. Well, I wasn't going to stand for it anymore. Draco could come and find me when he was done with whatever tantrum he was throwing. I didn't need to be friends with him if he was just going to act like a jerk.

"So," Ron said finally, looking at me expectantly. I blinked a couple times, trying to pull myself out of my own thoughts, I stared at him for a moment before he finally prompted me further, "Well? What did you say to him?"

I was silent for another moment turning my gaze towards my lap. I thought about what I said to Draco for a small moment before looking up at my friends once more and replying.

"I told him I didn't care if I was a blood traitor or not, as long as I have you guys."

* * *

It had been a week since my fight with Draco and either one of us had said word one to one another. Which was just fine by me. I had nothing to apologize for. Whenever Draco was ready to stop being an idiot and say he was sorry, he knew where to find me.

However the longer the whole thing dragged on, the more persistent Draco became in his attempts to get my attention both, and I can't say I was too good at ignoring it. Normally I wouldn't mind that Draco wanted my attention(in fact, normally I'd be rather flattered) but this wasn't _normally_ , and the way Draco was going about it was… Well, it was…

 _Ugh_.

"I do feel so sorry," Draco nearly yelled the statement across the potions classroom, so that Harry and I could hear him, from where we was sitting, working together on yet another potions assignment. Perhaps I would have thought that he finally apologizing to me if it weren't for his mocking tone, "for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

He was looking over at us as he spoke and I saw Crabbe and Goyle chuckle. Immediately, I shot them a warning look and they turned it into a cough, which, in turn, earned them a glare from Draco, making me smile with satisfaction. There were certain advantages that came with being the Slytherin's pet Gryffindor, and co-control over Crabbe and Goyle with Draco was one of them. Harry, was too busy measuring out powdered spine of lion fish to even pay the Slytherins any attention and I had no idea how he did it. Draco seemed impossible to ignore when he got like this.

It was a good thing that Harry was able to ignore Draco though, because that day's potion was proving to be extra troubling and at least one of us had to be paying attention. Usually, I would have paired up with Draco for this kind of thing but since I wasn't speaking to Draco, that was out of the question. I considered pairing up with Hermione instead, but I decided against it when Neville came to me begging for me not to, since his partner was usually Hermione and she was the only reason she wasn't failing. My other options had been Seamus Ron and Harry, and Harry seemed like the, well, _safest_ option.

Seamus usually worked with Dean Thomas but I had gotten lucky this round because Dean had been asked by Eloise Midgen to be her partner for this assignment, instead (with a flirtatious bat of the eyelashes and everything) and he'd said yes. So Seamus ended up with Ron as a partner and I had ended up with Harry.

Seriously though, I could not _believe_ that girls, like Eloise Midgen, were actually thinking about such a thing! I mean, being in a relationship meant doing embarrassing things, like, _holding hand_! And, sure, Draco and I had held hands before, but that was as friends. It was completely different when you do it as a couple. That was just..! No way, not me. I liked having friends. I'd never had any before and I was quite satisfied with the ones I had now. I didn't need a _boyfriend_. Besides I liked how comfortable I was around my guy friends like Ron and Harry and Draco. Love would just messed that up. Every time I thought about Love my stomach got all jumpy and fluttery and and I felt lightheaded, and that certainly wasn't relaxed. If being in love felt like that all the time, than I didn't want it. I'd never fall in love. Never.

I shook my head, half to shake away those annoying thoughts about love and half at Draco's immature behavior, muttering under my breath, "If he's mad at me, than why does he keep bothering you? I don't get it. Boys make no sense, honestly..."

"He knows it gets to you," Harry replied with a shrugs, "I think he figured out that you get angrier at him when he makes fun of your friends rather than you."

"I do?" I gave him a puzzled look. It sure hurt a lot more when it was directed at me… "It doesn't feel that way.."

"You haven't noticed?" Harry asked, "I mean you're just a lot more vocal about it when it's Hermione or Ron or me, I thought you would have realized…"

"Huh…" Now that I thought about it, Harry was right. On the occasions I that I did talk to Draco in the last week, they had all been caused by Draco teasing one of my friends. When Draco teased me, it hurt, sure, but it was easier to keep silent about it. I wondered why that was…

"Anyway, just ignore him," Harry said, "I don't really care what he has to say, anyway. He thinks he's being clever but, really, I don't care. I'm glad I'm staying here over the holidays. A whole holiday vacation without the Dursleys? I couldn't ask for a better Christmas."

"Yeah but all alone?" I asked, my brow furrowing with concern.

"Ah, Don't worry, I won't be alone," Harry smiled, "Ron and his brothers were staying for the holidays, too. Their parents are going to Romania to visit his brother Charlie."

"The one who studies Dragons?" I asked, amused.

"That's the one," Harry smiled, "So not only do I get to spend the holidays here but I'll have Ron and Fred and George and all them to keep me company."

I smiled, "That's good. I'm glad your happy,"

The bell rung and everyone gathered their stuff to leave the dungeon. I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder as Harry gathered his stuff in his arms.

"What about you?" Harry asked, "Are you going back to America for the holidays?"

"No," I shook my head, "My parents are flying across the country to take care of my grandma over the holidays, so I'm spending Christmas with Bethany instead. It should be interesting..."

Ron and Hermione jog to catch up with us as I followed Harry out of the dungeons, laughing and talking about the holidays and family traditions. I was so busy laughing at something Harry had said about his cousin, Dudley, looking more like the Christmas ham than he did his parents that I would have walked face first into a large fir tree if Harry hadn't put out his arm to stop me.

Harry and I stared at the tree, blinking at the two enormous feet sticking out the bottom and the loud puffing sound coming from behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm alright, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" Draco's cold drawl came drifting through the corridor behind us, and I sighed, turning around to face him with a pointed glare. Draco pretended not to notice, though, and instead set his sights set on Ron, "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley?"

"Why don't you leave him alone, Draco!" I huffed.

"Lottie, ignore him," Hermione whispered.

"No, I wanna know what he thinks gives him the right to act like this all the time!" I felt my face burn, "You're doing this on purpose, just to get on my nerves, aren't you!"

"Honestly, Cartwright," Draco rolled his eyes, "I have no _idea_ what you're talking about. It's not always about you, ya know."

"Ugh! You are such a little! Ugh!" I stomped my foot, "You know exactly what I'm talking about, I know you do! God why does it always have to be like this with you? What do you get out of getting on my nerves? It's not going to make me forgive you!"

"Who said I did anything that needs forgiving? I didn't do anything wrong!" Draco huffed, "You were the one calling me a jerk for no good reason. I'm waiting on an apology from you!"

"Well, you're going to be waiting a bloody long time then. I only told you the truth. You are mean, and a jerk!"

"How so!?"

"Only JERKS call their friends BLOOD TRAITORS!" I shot back in frustration. At this point Draco and I were in each other's faces, huffing and glaring at one another in annoyance.

"Picking fights with a girl? Seriously Malfoy?" Ron chimed in, "I know being a right git is your thing and all but calling your only real friend a blood traitor? That's low even for you."

"Oh and you'd know all about being a blood traitor, wouldn't you, Weasley?" Draco sneered, turning his attention from me to Ron, "My father says your dad likes to spend all his time meddling with Muggle contraptions. Is that what's got him so busy that he can't afford to bring home a decent paycheck?"

I barely had time to squeak in surprised before Ron dove at Draco. I had to jump out of the way to keep from being caught in the middle and nearly tripped backwards. Harry put a hand on my shoulder to steady me. I was so certain a fight would break out any minute now but, luckily, Snape came up the stairs just in time.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of the front of Draco's robes, and Draco flashed me a smug look, in response, as if to say, _look I won_. However, the look faded the moment he saw Harry's arm on my shoulder.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "He was just stickin' up for Lottie here and Malfoy started insultin' his family."

"However honorable Mister Weasley's intentions, I find that highly unlikely that my goddaughter needed his protection from Mister Malfoy of all people, And in any case, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," Snape informed him, with a drawl and a roll of the eyes. Of course, I hadn't had time to tell him about my fight with Draco, so of course he still assumed we were still as close as always. He then turned to Ron with a glint in his eyes, "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."

I was sure Draco had intended to come out of this situation feeling smug but the look on his face told me that things hadn't gone his way. He scowled gloomily as he pushed past the tree, and called back for Crabbe and Goyle to follow. The two bigger boys gave me a small apologetic look as they passed. I gave them a smile in return.

"See ya later guys," I muttered softly and gave them a small wave. Usually the two boys had no problem following Draco's orders and throwing their weight around, but this time they didn't seem too thrilled with it and I expected it was because I considered the two boys close friends.

"I'll get him," Ron seethed, grinding his teeth, "one of these days, I'll get him-"

"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape."

I merely hummed softly because the truth was I didn't hate either of them. Draco was acting like a brat and I was truly annoyed with him, but he was still my best friend. He was just saying all these awful things in attempt to get my attention. As soon as he realized that wouldn't work, he'd buck up and apologize. And as for Snape, I still thought he was innocent. However I wasn't about to start that discussion with either Ron or Harry so I kept my mouth shut.

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

The four of us shrugged, and agreed, following Hagrid and his tree to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations. "Ah, Hagrid, the last tree- put it in the far corner, would you?"

The hall really did looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked.

"Just one," said Hermione. "And that reminds me, we've got half an hour before lunch, we should be in the library."

"Oh yeah, you're right," said Ron, tearing his eyes away from Professor Flitwick, who had golden bubbles blossoming out of his wand and was trailing them over the branches of the new tree.

"The library?" said Hagrid, following them out of the hall. "Just before the holidays? Bit keen, aren't yeh?"

"Oh, we're not working," Harry told him brightly, "Ever since you mentioned Nicolas Flamel we've been trying to find out who he is."

"You what?" Hagrid looked shocked. "Listen here- I've told yeh- drop it. It's nothin' to you what that dog's guardin'."

"We just want to know who Nicolas Flamel is, that's all," said Hermione, innocently.

"Can you blame us for being Curious Hagrid?" I asked.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry added. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere- just give us a hint- I know I've read his name somewhere."

"I'm sayin' nothin," said Hagrid flatly.

"That's a shame," I pouted.

"We'll just have to find out for ourselves, then," said Ron, as we turned to exit the great hall, leaving Hagrid looking disgruntled as we hurried off to the library.  
I honestly didn't think we'd find anything in the library if we hadn't found it already, but we had to try. Even if I didn't think it was Snape behind all this, it was definitely someone and figuring out who Nicolas Flamel was would be the key to finding that out. However, we'd been searching for Flamel's name ever since Hagrid had let it slip, and for nothing. I had promised to ask Bethany if she knew anything about it when I got to her house for vacation but I unless he was some famous potions maker I wasn't sure Bethany would be any help.

Hermione had taken out a list of subjects and titles she had decided to search while Ron strode off down a row of books and started pulling them off the shelves at random. While I followed Harry over to the Restricted Section.

"You think he might be somewhere in there?" I asked, eyebrow raised.

"Could be," Harry shrugged.

"Well then we might as well give up," I sighed, "We'd need a note from a teacher to get in there and there's no way we'd get one."

Harry nodded in agreement to that. These were books containing powerful dark magic that were never taught at Hogwarts. They were only ever read or taken out by older students studying advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts. First years didn't have a chance of getting in there.

"I don't know," Harry mused, "You are Snape's goddaughter, maybe if you asked him he'd..."

I scoffed, "Yeah right, dream on."

"You're right," Harry shook his head, "Besides, he'd catch onto us..."

I rolled my eyes while Harry wasn't looking.

"What are you looking for, you two?"

"Nothing," said Harry.

Madam Pince, the librarian, brandished a feather duster at the two of us as if it were a sword, sticking it close enough to my nose to make me sneeze. "You'd better get out, then. Go on- out!"

In a rush to escape Madam Pince's deadly feather duster Harry and I had quickly rushed out of the library and waited in the corridor to see if the other two had found anything.

Harry and I twiddled our thumbs in silence.

"So," Harry paused, "Going to your sister's for the holidays... That must be nice. I don't know a lot about your sister but everyone says she's amazing..."

"Yeah" I agreed with a small smile, "Bethany she's... She's honestly the best. I can't believe I know her, let alone share the same parents as her. She's so smart and strong. It's hard to believe we're related sometimes. I mean she's just so _everything_..."

"So it's true? You didn't grow up with your sister?" Harry asked, "You only met recently?"

I blinked, "Oh, yeah... Yeah... We only met earlier this year. She was here all this time. After our parents died, no one really knows how, but I ended up in America. It was a closed adoption so I never knew anything about my parents. I didn't know if they were dead or if they just didn't want me..."

"Oh..." Harry was silent, "But you know now?"

"Yeah..." I smiled, "Yeah, sometime in august this kid, Alfie, he's in our year, he came and found me and delivered my letter to me personally. I mean, he actually found the owl carrying my letter by my cabin where I was staying, paralyzed it, took my letter, and broke into my cabin in the middle of the night so that he could give it to me personally."

I laughed at the memory. It felt like such a long time ago now.

Harry gaped at me, "Your kidding."

"Not even a little bit," I giggled, "I punched him in the face."

Harry snorted, "Then what happened?"

"Well, he told me I was a witch," I explained, "And at first I didn't believe him but then he did a spell to show me and well, I had to believe him then. So he gave me this article cut out from the daily prophet and it had my school photo in it and it was an article about how my sister was looking for me. It was crazy. Before that, I didn't have a family. I mean, I had my parents, but I didn't know where I came from. I didn't know there was anyone out there looking for me. Someone who wanted me. And then I did. I had a sister, and she wanted to find me. She wanted me... It was so unreal..."

I brushed a stray curl from my face and looked up. I paused when I saw the way Harry was looking at me. He looked like he was trying to smile but couldn't. His green eyes stared at me with a strange mixture of sadness and longing. I couldn't make sense of it...

Then it hit me. Harry's and my situations weren't very different. We'd both lost our parents and ended up living with another family. Neither of us had ever really known the truth about what happened to our families and neither of us had ever dreamed there was a family out there waiting for us. The difference was, I did. I had a sister out there, Bethany, who was waiting for me. I had a blood family out there who wanted to know where I was and that I was safe.

Harry didn't. And he never would. Harry knew what had happened to his family. He knew his parents had died protecting him from Voldemort and he know he had no siblings. His only blood relations were the Dursleys and they didn't really want him, which was another difference between Harry and I, in that I knew even if I didn't have any blood relations I still had the Waters who cared about and loved me. Harry didn't have what I had with my adoptive family and what I had with Bethany, Harry knew he'd never have that for himself...

It killed me just a little bit to think about and I could tell from the look in Harry's eyes that it did the same to him.

The sound of creaking hinges and a door opening interrupted the silence as the library doors opened and shut and Ron and Hermione appeared, looking disappointed and annoyed. Hermione carried a large leather book in her arms labeled _Multicultural Wizarding Custom_ Although I doubted that had anything to do with our hunt for Nicolas Flamel.

"Did you find anything?" Harry asked, hopefully.

"Nothing about Flamel," Ron shook his head, "But Hermione thinks she'd figured out why Charlotte's so bloody awful at charms."

Hermione smacked Ron with her book.

"I did not say that!" Hermione said, "I merely stated that this book talks about how American wizards started out with a focus on wandless magic before there was immigration from Europe, and that that may account for why Charlotte is so good at Potions but not the best at charms."

I shook my head and rolled my eyes, "Yes, but my family's from England so I don't know if I can blame my sucky Charms skills on my genes. Honestly, I think I'm just uncoordinated with my wrist movements. My mom always did say I was lanky. Anyway, you sure you didn't find anything about Nicolas Flamel in your reading?"

"I'm sure," Hermione sighed, "Nothing."

"Great," I sighed, as we started heading to lunch, "Two weeks of searching and nothing… I'm beginning to think Hagrid is actually a super genius and just made the name up to throw us off the trail..."

"Doubtful," Hermione said, looking over at Ron and Harry, "You two will keep looking while we're away for the holidays, won't you? Send me an owl if you find anything."

"Me too," I added, "I'll make sure to send you guys a message if Bethany knows anything. Although I'll have to borrow her owl though… Hagrid says Abbey won't be better for the holidays but she should be find afterwards."

"And you'll ask your parents if they know who Flamel is, won't you Hermione?" Ron asked, "It'd be safe to ask them."

"Very safe," Hermione agreed, "seeing as they're both dentists."

"Both what?" Ron looked confused. Hermione, Harry and I just snickered.

We finally reached our usual spot at the Gryffindor table in the great hall and sat down with a huff. Ron resting his head in his hands and Harry laying his head down on the table. I sighed as Hermione started reading her book again and shook my head.

"I can't believe vacation starts tomorrow" I sighed, "It feel like I won't see you guys in forever..."

"I know what you mean," Harry agreed.

"Exactly," Ron agreed jokingly, "we might finally get some peace and quiet around here without all you girls running around and making us crazy."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'll miss you guys while I'm at my sister's" I declared, smiling at them. I saw Harry smiled back, although his eyes still looked sad. However after a moment they lit up again, like he had an idea.

"Hey, one last time before you leave for your sister's," Harry said slowly, "Will you do that thing you do..?"

I sighed, "Now?"

"Yeah, now" Ron agreed, sitting up straighter, even Hermione closed her book to watch.

I pursed my lips and sighed, "Okay, fine, one more time before I leave, but that's it, got it?"

My three friends nodded, staring at me expectantly and I sighed, smiling as I rolled my eyes, before taking a deep breath, letting out a soft hum as an opening note, " _Have yourself a merry little Christmas… Let your heart be light. From now on our troubles will be o_ _ut of sight."_

Harry Ron and Hermione had all three gone silent, listening to me intently as I hummed out the melody. People had always told me I was a good singer, and I'd had a few singing lessons with Celestina Warbeck before, but I never really thought I was all that special. However, my Gryffindor friends seemed to be think otherwise, because ever since Hermione had heard me singing in the showers before school one day and gotten me to sing for the boys, they'd been fascinated with my singing voice. Most of the time I declined the offer whenever they asked me to sing, since it made me just a little self-conscience, but hey, it was Christmas so I figured, why not.

Besides, I hated that sad look Harry had gotten in his eyes, and the mention of singing had gotten it to go away, so I found it awfully hard to refuse. Harry was usually so energetic and happy, it was hard to see him down. I supposed it must be hard over the holidays too... I almost faltered in my singing at the thought, but kept going.

I could feel my cheeks go red as I noticed a few of the other kids, like Dean Thomas, and Lavender Brown, and Parvati Patil starting to listen as well but ignored them. My cheeks were red as I saw them gather in to watch as well, looking pleased. I tried to ignore them though and focus on the grin on Harry's face. I smiled a bit at that, as well. As long as this made Harry happy, I supposed it was alright if the others listened as well.

I almost let out a chuckle.

" _Through the years we all will be together… If the fates allow… Hang a shining star upon the highest bough… And have yourself a merry little Christmas, now_ …"


End file.
